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Human  Nature 


OR 


MEN  AND  WOMEN  EXPOSED. 


TiiEATING  ()B^  EVERY  CHARAOTERISTIC.  BOTH  GOOD  AND  BAD,  OF  THE  VARIOUS 

TYPES  OF 

MAN  AND  WOMAN. 

AS  THEi"  ffiXIST,  ASTD  AS  MANIFESTED  IN  EVEBY-DAY  LIFE,  (J  VING 

"THE   TRUTH,   THE   WHOLE   TRUTH,   AND   NOTHING   BUT   THE   TRUTH," 


W  Prof.  A.  E.  Willis 

Ij'clurtr.    I'husiojiininist  tint/  r/irf/tnldij/.s/. 


TMIKD   EDIT! OX. 

LUST  RATED,       REVISED,       AND      CONDENSED, 


Allm.  ^  ^      ^Hir  G  CO 
4c-  »v     50Div^  ,     „^ 

This  Book    or  An '^^  '    ^^■ 

■  i   htiBe  pages,  sent '  i o 


01S^ 


Kntebed  Accobding  to  Act  of  Congeess 

in  the  office  of  the 

LIBRARIAN  OF  CONGRESS. 

AT 

Washington,  D.  C. 


'  ^  5 


PREFACE 


Thkri  is  no  subject  of  greater  importance  to  man  than  the  study  of 
-imself,  first;  and,  secondly,  of  his  fellow-men.  There  are  no  sciences 
better  adapted  to  aid  in  this  study  than  phrenology  and  physiognomy 
The  examination  of  these  sciences  not  only  reveals  the  laws  of  the  mind, 
but  proves  to  be  one  of  the  best  means  of  educating  and  developing  those 
faculties  which  are  especially  necessary  to  the  efficient  performance  of 
the  active  and  practical  duties  of  life.  Unfortunately,  only  a  few  of  our 
people  have  cared  to  gather  information  from  the  rich  fields  of  knowledge 
into  which  these  sciences  would  lead  them;  while  some  are  so  strongly 
prejudiced  that  they  prefer  to  go  through  the  world  ignorant  of  this  whole 
subject,  rather  than  to  open  their  eyes  and  let  the  hght  of  new  truth 
dawn  upon  thein.  There  are  others  who  are  careless  and  indifferent, 
seldom  acquiring  any  scientific  knowledge,  unless  it  is  forced  upon  the«n; 
and  still  another  class,  who  fear  phrenology  because  of  its  power  \o 
disclose  their  secret  faults  —  if  it  would  only  flatter  them,  they  would 
gladly  embrace  iL  A  hungry  man,  in  his  right  mind,  will  not  refuse  good, 
wholesome  food;  nor  will  a  wise  man  reject  practical,  useful  knowledge, 
no  matter  whether  it  is  palatable  or  otherwise.  Truth  is  no  respecter  of 
persons,  neither  does  it  array  itself  in  unseemly  garments,  nor  in  aa^ 
way  injure  the  individual  who  seeks  and  finds  it,  and  is  governed  by  it 
The  honest,  progressive  man  is  always  in  love  with  it,  and  his  reward  is 
as  great  and  lasting  as  Truth  itself. 

Notwithstanding  the  opposition  that  was  at  first  exhibited  to  these 
sciences  (as  to  all  new  inventions  and  doctrines),  they  are  rapidly  gaining 
in  popular  esteem,  and  are  now  recognized  and  studied  by  many  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  influential  minds  of  the  age. 

The  author's  aim  in  this  work  has  not  been  to  treat  these  two  scicncet 
in  a  learned,  technical  or  theoretical  manner,  but  rather  to  take  up  their 

practical  side  aod  bearmgj  ^nd  make  tb@m  piors  popular  %pd  mm^t^ 


6  PREFACB. 

hcnsiblc  to  the  maisses,  by  presenting  human  character  as  seen  and  mani- 
fested in  everyday  life.  Hence,  I  have  selected  a  variety  of  subjects,  and 
written  on  them  from  a  physiognomical  and  phrenological  point  of  view. 

The  author  of  this  book  makes  no  pretensions  to  rhetorical  finish; 
that  kind  of  writing  is  hardly  adapted  to  such  a  work.  My  purpose 
has  been  to  express  my  thoughts  in  plain,  simple  language,  so  that  every 
person,  who  has  learned  to  read  and  write,  will  be  able  to  comprehend 
my  statements.  I  believe  the  too  liberal  use  of  foreign  and  high-sounding 
phrases  (those  hard  to  pronounce  and  not  in  common  use)  in  scientific 
works  is  one  of  the  chief  reasons  why  such  works  are  not  more  generally 
read  and  liked  by  the  public, 

I  have  endeavored  to  describe  human  nature  just  as  it  exists  in  all 
classes  of  society,  and  in  its  public  and  private  manifestations,  without 
any  flattery  on  the  one  hand,  or  exaggeration  and  magnifying  of  iraper 
fections  on  the  other.  Like  an  honest  and  true  man,  my  earnest  desire 
has  been,  to  present  in  this  book  "the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth." 


\\)v 


SIGNS  OF  CHARACTER. 


Indications  of  a  Fine  Mind— A  clear  thinking  Mind— An  harmonioos  Cbaractcr— A  Mind 
that  loves  and  appreciates  that  which  is  Beautiful— la  Beauty  only  skin  deep  ?— 
Beautiful  Eyes— Large,  round,  full  and  projecting  Eyes— Excessive  Passion— Laxity 
of  the  Passions— Pain  and  Pleasure— Dimples  in  the  Cheek— A  Suspicious  Nature- 
Revenge — Sagacity— Necessity  of  further  discovery. 


It  is  not  my  intention,  in  this  work,  to  enter  into  an  elaborate 
description  of  the  signs  of  character.  Most  books  on  this  subject 
are  too  extensive  and  complicated  for  the  public  to  peruse.  My 
aim  is  to  awaken  in  the  mind  of  the  reader  sufficient  interest  to 
study  for  him  or  herself,  by  mentioning,  in  a  brief  manner,  a  few 
unmistakable  signs. 

A  fine  mind  is  always  indicated  by  a  fine  organization.  As  well 
:ook  for  the  sun  to  shine  at  night,  as  to  see  elegance,  taste,  refine- 
ment and  delicacy  of  thought  in  one  whose  body  is  rough,  coarse 
and  common.  The  skin  of  such  a  person  should  be  pure-looking, 
6ofr,  even,  and  of  fine  texture.  The  hair  should  likewise  be  very 
fine  and  soft.  Mind  molds  and  rules  the  body,  and  not  the  body 
the  mind;  therefore,  if  the  mind  is  not  finely  organized,  neither  is 
the  body.  By  fineness  of  mind  I  mean  texture  or  quality.  Every 
person  knows  the  difference  between  fine  and  coarse  cloth.  The 
coarse  cloth  may  be  the  most  serviceable  for  every-day  wear,  but 
the  fine  will  be  the  most  valuable,  and  therefore  the  most  prized 
and  taken  care  of.  and  will  be  used  only  on  extra  occasions.  So 
with  a  fine  and  coarse  mind  — the  latter  may  be  good  and  moral, 
and  best  adapted  for  the  common  duties  of  life,  but  the  former 
will  be  contented  only  in  the  higher,  loftier  and  purer  pursuits  and 
walks  of  life. 

A  clear-thinking  mind  is  evinced  by  a  dark,  sallow  complexion. 
Such  persons  are  generally  calm,  cool  and  collected— are  definite, 
precise,  systematic  and  comprehensive  in  their  views  and  manner 
of  saying  and  doing  things.  They  seldom  get  confused  in  their 
ideas,  god  express  tfieinselves  clearly  and  positively.    A  h^mg- 


SIGNS  OF  CHARACTER-  15 

fiious  character,  or  one  that  is  evenly  balanced  in  the  moral,  social, 
intellectual  and  executive  facCilties,  is  manifested,  first,  by  a  general 
fullness  and  uniform  appearance  of  the  head.  The  skull  should  pre- 
sent an  even  surface  —  no  bumps,  because  they  indicate  that  there 
is  a  deficiency  of  some  other  bumps  (or  more  properly  speaking, 
organs)  near  by,  or  else  the  other  organs  are  too  large,  and  there 
is  an  excess  of  some  kind.  A  head  that  presents  the  appearance 
of  hills  and  valleys  will  show  inconsistencies  and  contradictions 
of  character,  and  a  liability  to  extremes.  Not  only  should  the 
head  be  even,  but  also  equally  devieloped  and  proportionate.  It 
would  be  difficult  to  describe  just  what  shape  the  head  ought  to  be. 
A  phrenological  plaster-of-Paris  head,  with  all  the  organs  marked 
on  it,  will  give  you  the  best  idea.  The  second  sign  is  proportionate 
and  beautifully  or  properly-formed  features.  If  the  nose  is  concave 
or  convex,  the  mouth  unpleasant  to  look  at  (having  a  peculiar  or 
objectionable  expression  around  the  corners),  the  chin  deficient, 
and  the  eyes  fixed,  staring  or  evasive,  look  out  for  some  odd  and 
mean  trait  of  character. 

A  mind  that  loves  and  appreciates  that  which  is  beautiful  must 
have  beautiful  features,  which  consist  in  fine,  delicate  and  har- 
monious combinations  of  form,  connected  with  a  pleasing  and 
lovely  expression.  Form  is  the  basis  or  frame-work  of  beauty; 
and  two  things  or  conditions  are  necessary  to  produce  human 
beauty.  First,  the  body,  which  is  form;  second,  the  'soul  or 
spirit,  which  gives  expression  through  the  form.  These  two 
qualities  combined  constitute  what  we  term  beauty.  When  I  spea' 
of  beauty  I  mean  the  highest  type.  In  some  persons  we  ser  an 
excess  of  mere  physical  beauty;  in  others,  an  excess  of  mental  and 
moral  beauty;  and  in  a  third  class  we  see  the  physical  and  moral 
about  equally  combined.  So  there  are  many  kinds  and  combina- 
tions of  beauty,  just  as  there  are  many  kinds  and  combinations 
of  colors.  There  are  likewise  many  different  tastes  in  regard  to 
beauty.  What  one  person  admires  another  does  not.  So  in  regard 
to  colors;  some  like  red,  some  blue,  some  green,  some  violet,  and 
so  on.  As  a  rule,  people  like  colors  according  to  their  passions  or 
sentiments,  and  they  appreciate  and  are  fascinated  by  that  kind  of 
beauty  which  is  a  reflex  of  their  own  mind  or  soul. 

It  is  an  old  saying  that  beauty  is  only  skin-keep.     I  do  not  con- 
sider that  true  beauty  in  which  the_  moral  and  social  faculties  do 


1 6  SIGNS  OF  CHARACTER 

not  lend  thelf  molding  influence.  Snakes  have  pretty  skins,  but 
we  shudder  at  the  very  sight  of  them.  A  pretty  face,  therefore, 
that,  on  close  inspection,  reveals  deceit,  cunning,  or  any  kind  of 
wickedness,  cannot  be  called  beautiful  Addison  has  justly  said 
that  no  woman  can  be  handsome  by  the  force  of  features  aione, 
any  more  than  she  can  be  witty  by  the  help  of  speech  only.  It  is 
by  the  force  of  thought  that  the  expression  of  virtue  or  vice  is  writ- 
ten upon  the  countenance,  and  the  features  improved  or  dec^raded. 
Beauty  of  mind  and  beautiful  features  are  therefore  inseparably 
:onnected;  for  as  a  man  thinketh  so  he  will  appear,  and  his  face 
will  be  a  mirror  in  which  a  skilled  physiognomist  can  discern  the 
ruling  passions  of  the  soul. 

Be  careful  as  to  how  far  you  trust  or  place  confidence  in  persons 
'»^-ho  are  very  forward  and  bold,  especially  if  they  are  anxious  to  pry 
into  your  secrets  and  private  affairs.  They  are  apt  to  be  thievish 
or  tainted  with  immorality.  Loud  talkers  are  also  >^ubjects  of  sus- 
picion, as  far  as  their  morals  are  concerned  Sm.ill  secretiveness  and 
an  emotional  nature  will  naturally  incline  a  person  to  speak  louder 
than  one  possessing  large  secretiveness  and  a  cool  disposition. 
But  the  class  I  particularly  refer  to  are  persons  w!io  always  aim  to 
attract  the  attention  of  every  person  in  the  room,  or  on  a  steamboat 
or  railway  car,  on  the  streets  and  other  public  places,  by  talking  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  above  everybody  else.  When  a  woman  does 
it  you  may  know  she  is  either  vain  and  crazy  to  be  taken  notice  of. 
and  be  the  center  of  observation,  or  else  she  is  fast;  rest  assured 
^ither  modesty  or  virtue  are  wanting  in  such  a  woman.  And  when 
J-  .nan  does  it  you  may  at  once  conclude  he  has  more  gab  than 
sense,  more  blow  and  brag  about  him  than  genuine  talent.  Vonng 
women  who  snicker  and  laugh  out  loud  at  theaters  or  any  public 
place  of  entertainment,  and  bore  men  to  take  them  to  such  places, 
are,  as  a  rule,  bold,  cheeky,  saucy,  impudent  and  immodest  in  their 
behavior;  and  the  less  young  men  have  to  do  with  such  girls  or 
women  the  better  for  them  financially  as  well  as  morally. 

There  is  great  necessity  of  being  guarded  and  cautious  in  read- 
ing persons  from  mere  appearance,  or  their  assumed,  affected  and 
dignified  mode  of  conversation  and  actions.  Persons  that  are  reti- 
cent, reserveci.  evasive  and  mysterious  in  their  ways  of  acting  and 
general  conduct,  are  subjects  of  suspicion,  and  are  to  be  mistrusted 
more   than   those    who   are  just   the  opposite. 


J 


I 


^ 


The  Celestial  or  Baby  nose;  mild, 
docile  apd  amiable  disposition;  likewise 
indicative  of  female  character.  The  op- 
posite of  the  Jewish  or  Roman  nose. 
Observe  its  concave  shape. 


The  Jewish  nose;  commercial,  trad- 
ing, speculating;  love  of  money,  property, 
etc.  Slow  to  act,  suspicious  and  reserved. 
Observe  the  width  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
nose,  where  it  joins  the  nostril:  also  the 
convex,  outline. 


'^    V 


M  \ 


V  well  formed  nose,  indicating  strength  and  development  of  character:  long-heaaed. 
Observe  the  sign  of  originality,  as  seen  in  the  drooping  septum.  It  renders  a  per.cm 
rather  odd,  and  unlike  any  one  else  in  their  way  of  saying  and  aomg  th^.gs.  ..re  partic^ 
ularly  interested  in  anythino:  new-new  theories,  plans,  sc/^^ces,  etc..  Qua.,  .eibrmator^ 
in.  character. 


The  turneci-up  nose.  Pert;  quick  to 
feel,  think  and  act.  Easily  offended  over 
trivial  things.  Not  much  force  of  charac- 
ter. If  the  point  is  sharp,  have  a  scolding 
disposition  and  fiery  temper. 


The  Roman  nose;  generalship,  long, 
headed,  far-seeing;  combative;  great  force 
of  mind;  argumentative,  opposing,  resist- 
ing, conquering  and  subduing.  Observe 
the  conveE  shape,  which  is  always  indica- 
tive of  a  combative  spirit  in  some  form. 


The  peculiarity  of  this  nose  is  that  it  all  seems  to  be  crowded  down  to  the  point.  It 
projects  far  out  fi'om  the  lip,  but  does  not  turn  up  or  down.  It  is  an  uncommon  nose: 
and  after  considerable  study,  I  noticed  and  concluded  that  it  belonged  only  to  persons 
having  a  clear,  natural  insight  iuto  business  affairs,  being  able  to  see  what  will  pay,  and 
make  it  a  success,  imparting  what  I  propose  to  call  business  scent^  for  such  a  man  cas 
tmell  business  us  easily  as  a  dog  can  smell  and  trace  his  master. 


SIGNS  OF  CHARACTBIL  1 9 

When  men  and  women  get  drunk  and  quarrelsome  they  show 
and  act  out  their  real  animal  natures  —  that  is,  whatever  animal, 
fishp  bird  or  reptile  a  person  resembles  in  his  disposition,  he  will 
show  to  perfection  when  intoxicated  or  enraged.  If  he  has  a  low, 
vicious,  mean  or  savage  nature,  he  will  manifest  it;  or  if  he  resem- 
bles an  animal  or  reptile  of  that  nature,  he  will  act  like  the  brute  he 
takes  after.  If  a  man  has  a  mild,  docile  and  harmless  nature,  like 
a  sheep,  deer  or  dove,  for  instance,  he  will  never  hurt  anybody  or 
be  quarrelsome,  whether  drunk  or  angry. 

Beautiful  eyes,  having  finely  arched  and  dark  eyebrows,  are  not 
common  in  men,  and  they  indicate,  in  the  man  who  is  fortunate 
enough  to  be  so  divinely  blest,  a  genuine,  natural-born  artist  —  one 
who  has  the  soul  to  appreciate  that  which  is  beautiful  and  lovely. 
In  woman  they  denote  a  love  and  desire  for  pleasure,  beauty  and 
the  opposite  sex,  combined  very  often  with  a  good  deal  of  deviltry. 
The  characteristics  of  this  eye  may  likewise  be  found  the  same  in 
both  sexes.  Wherever  a  lovely  eye  is  seen,  whether  in  man,  woman 
or  beast,  there  you  will  find  some  admirable  trait  of  character;  and 
wherever  a  mean-looking  eye  is  to  be  seen,  rest  assured  there  is  a 
mean  disposition  of  some  kind  behind  it. 

A  person  with  large,  round,  full  and  projecting  eyes,  that  in 
appearance  resemble  those  of  an  owl  or  a  cat,  has  a  disposition  that 
is  either  timid,  stupid,  foolish,  double-dealing  or  two-faced,  and 
generally  acts  as  though  he  were  half-frightened,  half-scared  and 
afraid  of  you. 

Excessive  passion  or  abuse  of  the  sexual  organs  .shows  itself  in 
and  around  the  eyes  —  gives  a  sort  of  dull,  heavy,  striking  and 
sometimes  fascinating  look;  When  the  lips  have  a  deep  red,  almost 
crimson  color,  it  indicates  immorality  or  a  strong  passional  nature, 
one  that  is  liable  to  yield  to  temptation. 

Laxity  of  the  passions  causes  the  lips  to  separate,  open,  and 
imparts  to  the  lower  lip  a  drooping,  hanging  appearance;  while  self- 
control  and  stringency  cause  them  to  close  and  present  a  tight,  com- 
pressed appearance.  When  both  conditions  are  equal — that  is,  the 
passions  strong,  but  under  control,  the  lips  will  have  a  full,  curving, 
but  closed  and  natural  appearance,  neither  open  nor  compressed. 

Pain  is  objectionable,  though  not  injurious;  pleasure  is  agreeable, 
hence  the  love  ^of  it,  like  money,  knows  no  bounds,  and  has  a  tendency 


20  §in^%    Of   CUAKACrtK. 

to  lead  one  into  excess.  Therefore,  those  most  fond  of  plea<;'ifc 
are  in  the  greatest  danger  of  being  led  astray  and  finally  rained. 

The  more  people  develop  their  ^e!hsh  riatures  thr  nuire  thi^y 
cramp  their  souls  and  the  smaller  ihey  [.'eci»!!ie,  <>n  Uir  same  prin- 
ciple that  women  cramp  their  waists  by  tight  lacing,  miiifing  their 
health  and  spoiling  the  natural  shajje  of  their  bodies  Thus  selfish- 
ness injures  the  character  of  the  soul  and  mars  its  facial  expression, 
whereas  generosity  expands  the  soul  and  makes  it  beautiful 

Excess  of  reason  and  calculation  mav  lead  a  man  to  stinginess. 
avarice  or  extreme  economy,  especially  if  the  lips  are  thin  and  cau- 
tiousness large. 

In  men  of  genius  the  convolutions  of  the  brain  are  deeper  than 
in  persons  of  ordinary  talent,  hence  there  is  a  greater  amount  di\ii 
surface  of  neurine  or  gray  matter,  which  is  the  thinking  part  of  the 
brain,  and  is  indicated  by  the  uneven  or  hilly  appearance  of  the 
skull  In  sluggish  persons,  and  those  of  common  minds,  the  skull 
is  much  smoother. 

Sharp,  bony  knuckles,  indicate  persons  who  are  fond  of  physical 
exercise,  hence  are  good  walkers  and  workers;  but  fleshy  hand:>, 
that  scarcely  show  any  knuckles,  belong  to  la/.y  persons,  and  if  the 
flesh  is  soft  and  flabby,  they  arc  sin. ply  useless  individuals  in  the 
world  —  almost  too  lazy  to  exist.  They  prefer  to  sit  down  and 
take  things  easy,  or  ride  everywhere  they  want  to  go,  and  are  per- 
fectly contented  in  doing  nothing,  except  to  eat.  drmk,  sleep  and 
lie  around  the  house. 

A  person  of  taste  and  refinement  may  be  known  by  fine,  soft 
and  neat  hair,  while  a  dirty,  slovenly  person,  will  have  coarse  hair 
and  an  untidy,  slouchy  appearance  of  the  whole  head.  The  fine 
hair  of  the  rab*^it,  in  contrast  with  that  of  the  hog,  will  serve  as  an 
illustration. 

With  the  nervous  temperament  excessive,  the  affections  arc 
often  inconstant,  fictitious  and  sickly  rather  than  firm,  hearty  and 
real,  and  the  judgiTient  not  trustworthy  1  here  is,  also,  a  great 
desire  for  novelty  and  change,  with  a  ready  capacity  to  learn  and 
forget,  and  extreme  or  abnormal  sensitiveness. 

Goethe  says  nothing  is  more  significant  of  a  man's  character  than 
what  he  finds  laughable,  and  1  may  add,  also,  the  ktni^  of  laugh. 
Rowdies  may  be  known  by  their  laugh  on  the  street  as  far  as  they 
can  be  heard.      Wise    men    and  fools  do  not  laugh  alike,  nor  do 


SIGNS  Of  CHARACTER.  2i 

rough,  ig"norant  people  laugh  the  same  as  the  refiaed  and  intelli- 
g^ent.  There  is  the  suppressed,  secretive  laugh,  in  contrast  to  the 
loud  and  open.  The  giggling  laugh,  and  the  hearty,  whole-souled 
laugh,  are  easily  distinguished  and  recognized  by  observation  and 
attention.  There  are  few  things  more  dej)rcssing  to  the  mind  and 
injurious  to  the  body  than  grief,  fretting  and  turning  one's  self  into 
a  sort  of  living  sepulchre;  and  nothing  more  healthful  than  hearty, 
whole-souled  laughter  and  a  cheerful,  contented   mind. 

There  is  a  time  to  laugh,  however,  and  a  time  when  it  is  im- 
proper. There  are  things  worth  laughing  at,  and  things  that  are 
not.  Sensible,  intelligent  people  do  not  laugh  unless  they  see  or 
hear  something  worth  laughing  at;  but  silly,  nonsensical  people 
laugh  at  things  that  are  not  worth  noticing  —  laugh  when  they 
should  not,  when  there  is  nothing  to  laugh  at,  and  even  on  sacred 
or  serious  occasions. 

Dimples  in  the  cheek  indicate  a  good-natured,  lovable  and 
merry  disposition,  fond  of  being  petted,  and  susceptible  to  the 
charms  of  music.  They  are  found  only  in  round  and  full  forms  and 
with  blonde  or  light  complexions,  not  in  the  dark  and  angular  faces. 
When  seen  in  the  chin,  they  are  said  to  indicate  a  desire  to  be 
loved,  love  of  society  and  a  warm   nature. 

Sagacity  is  indicated  by  a  short,  round  neck,  which  seems  set 
in  the  shoulders,  as  Dr.  Simms,  the  physiognomist,  justly  observes. 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  General  Grant  and  D.  L.  Moody,  the  evangel- 
ist, are  good  illustrations. 

On  general  principles,  large-boned  people  are  more  honest,  solid 
and  reliable  than  small-boned  persons,  and  have  more  enduring 
constitutions  and  stronger  characters, —  like  Lincoln,  Jackson  and 
the  Duke  of  Wellington,  the  first  and  last  being  made  up  of 
more  bone  than  any  other  material.  The  most  useful  animals  to 
man.  such  as  the  horse,  ox  and  camel,  are  large-boned,  and  have 
wonderful  physical  endurance;  whereas  some  of  the  most  useless 
and  "deceptive  animals  have  small  bones,  though  plenty  of  muscle, 
such  as  the  fox,  skunk,  porcupine,  panther,  and  anim.als  of  the  cat 
tribe.  Small-boned  people,  however,  have  more  of  the  warm  and 
social  nature  and  are  inclined  more  to  music. 

All  savage  and  destructive  animals  have  heads  formed  on  the 
broad  and  fiat,  or  round  principle,  such  as  lions,  tigers,  leopards  and 
rattlesnake^^     A^  ^?o.;^  docile  and  Inoffbnslvf  animals  have  narrow 


2f  SIGNS  or  CHARACTER. 

heads  between  the  ears,  and  are  generally  long-faced,  like  the  horse, 
deer,  hare  and  rabbit.  So  men,  as  a  rule,  with  wide  heads  from  ear 
to  ear,  have  more  force,  management  and  executive  ability  than 
men  with  thin  heads.  If  the  head  is  very  broad  and  deficient  in 
moral  and  intellectual  faculties,  then  the  possessor  of  such  a  head 
may,  on  provocation,  become  rough  and  brutal  in  his  treatment  of 
animals  or  oth«^^r  persons.  But  when  a  wide  head  is  well  balanced 
with  the  intrilt  ctual  and  moral  organs,  you  have  talent,  worth  and 
power  couibnird.  A  person  with  such  a  head  will  try  and  develop, 
put  into  execution  or  carry  out  any  new  or  general  idea  he  may 
have  —  in  other  words,  thoughts  become  actions.  Hence,  force, 
energy,  policy,  push,  management  and  business  ability  or  tact  is 
generally  found  in  such  heads,  though  a  man  may  have  large  energy, 
will-power,  enterprise,  ambition  and  business  ability,  wliere  the 
head  is  long  and  of  only  natural  width,  as  also  a  man  with  a  wide 
head  may  be  so  constituted  as  to  lack  executive  ability;  the  reader 
must  take  observations  in  order  to  discriminate  for  himself 

There  are  three  distinct  forms  of  faces  in  the  Caucasian  race: 
the  round,  oblong,  and  pyriform  or  egg  shape;  each  form  having  a 
character  peculiar  to  itself  With  the  round,  plump  face  we  find 
contentment,  ease,  pleasing  natures,  willing  to  accommodate  them- 
selves to  others;  they  are  yielding,  pliable  and  easily  pleased.  Oblong 
form  —  strength  of  character,  power,  greatness,  success,  clear  judg- 
ment and  business  talent.  Pyriform — sensitive,  brilliant,  intense; 
mclined  to  be  fickle  or  changeable,  imaginative,  quick,  sharp  and 
keen  rather  than  powerful. 

Whenever  a  man  aspires  and  claims  to  know  or  do  something, 
or  advocates  any  new  truths  or  doctrines  that  are  not  fashionable 
or  popular  to  the  public  mind,  their  prejudice  will  at  once  be 
aroused,  and  they  will  denounce  him  as  a  quack  or  humbug.  On 
the  same  principle,  when  an  individual  assumes  to  know  more  on  a 
given  subject,  and  attempts  or  offers  to  give  instruction  to  a  con- 
ceited person,  he  will  turn  up  his  nose,  despise  and  reject  not  only 
the  information,  however  valuable  it  may  be,  but  also  the  individual, 
and  most  likely,  if  in  his  power,  hold  the  person  up  to  ridicule  and 
scorn,  or  when  the  opportunity  is  afforded,  make  all  sorts  of  fun  out 
of  the  subject  and  person.  Such  is  generally  the  course  of  action 
ouf^ucd  by  neoole  ^of  whom  there  are  not  a  few)  who  are  aitogethei 
tou  wise  in  their  own  cQnt^^ri 


*       SIGNS  OF  CHARACTEIL  23 

A  suspicious  nature  is  generally  found  with  a  long,  hooking 
nose  and  large  human  nature,  a  faculty  located  in  the  center  and 
top  of  the  forehead.  If  large  secretiveness  be  added,  you  may  be 
sure  to  find  suspicion  with  such  a  nose.  Such  persons  suspect, 
siirmise  or  imagine  the  existence  of  something  without  any  reason 
for  so  doing.  Suspicion,  therefore,  is  the  opposite  of  faith,  the 
nature  of  which  is  to  believe  a  thing  without  evidence.  Jealousy, 
the  mind's  toothache,  that  gnawing  worm  that  eats  out  the  happi- 
ness of  thousands,  arises  from  a  mixture  of  suspicion  and  a  desire 
to  be  loved.  The  latter  condition  being  mdicated  by  the  indented 
or  dimpled  chin.  Many  husbands  and  wives  keep  themselves  and 
their  companions  in  a  state  of  mental  torture  through  their  un- 
founded and  cruel  suspicions. 

Revenge,  or  retaliation,  will  generally  be  found  in  persons  hav- 
ing a  hollow  in  the  center  of  the  forehead;  also  in  dark  races,  or 
individuals  of  dark  hair  and  complexion.  The  dark  races  are  cer- 
tainly more  inclined  to  revenge  than  the  light.  An  implacable 
disposition  may  be  read  in  the  protruding  under  lip. 

A  strong  social  nature  is  shown  in  open,  protruding,  red  lips, 
especially  when  the  cheeks  are  full,  the  abdomen  large,  and  the  eyes 
bright,  large  and  expressive.  The  individual  may  be  quite  sociable 
without  all  these  conditions,  but  rest  assured  where  you  see  small 
eyes  and  compressed  and  thin  lips  you  will  find  a  lack  of  real  social 
nature,  that  kind  of  nature  that  is  spontaneous,  warm  and  dem.on- 
strative.  You  must  make  a  distitiction  between  a  friendly,  sympa- 
thetic nature,  that  can  be  warmed  up  on  certain  occasions,  and 
manifest  friendship  toward  those  they  become  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with,  and  that  Christ-like,  outgoing  nature  that  has  a 
kind  word  and  hearty  shake  of  the  hand  for  the  stranger  as  well  as 
the  friend.  Cats  and  dogs  are  sociable  when  they  become  ac- 
quainted, and  human  beings  ought  to  be  a  step  in  advance,  a  de- 
gree above  animals,  and  be  sociable  without  friendship  acquaint- 
ance. 

The  largest  and  most  active  organ  or  organs  of  the  brain  will 
determine  the  general  tone  or  character  of  conversation.  Thus,  if 
approbativeness  is  the  ruling  faculty,  the  social  conversation  of 
those  possessing  it  wnll  be  chiefly  about  themselves,  their  own  busi- 
ness and  social  affairs,  or  those  relatives,  friends  and  acquaintances 
they  may  feel  it  to  be  a  credit  or  benefit  to  themselves  to  speak  of. 


24  SIGNS  OF  CHARACTER. 

If  amativencss  and  conjugality  are  the  largest  they  will  talk  much 
about  the  opposite  sex,  courtship,  marriage  and  love  affairs  in  all 
their  various  phases.  What  people  ttiink  about  the  most,  they 
like  to  talk  about  when  they  have  the  opportunity.  If  they  are 
intelligent  they  will  talk  intellectually.  If  really  pious  they  will 
love  to  talk  on  religious  subjects.  If  very  social  they  will  talk 
about  social  topics.  If  wicked  and  licentious  they  will  say  wicked 
things,  and  their  conversation  will  be  too  dirty,  filthy  and  foul  to 
listen  to.  1  have  known  even  Christian  men  to  tell  some  of  the 
most  licentious  and  corrupting  stories  I  ever  heard.  Who  can  cal- 
culate the  number  of  young  minds  that  are  poisoned  and  may  be 
ruined  by  evil  communications?  One  smutty  story  will  do  more 
harm  than  a  dozen  sermons  will  do  good,  and  will  cling  to  the 
memory  longer  than  anything  that  is  good.  Men  are  punished  foi 
writing,  publishing  and  selling  obscene  literature;  and  ought  not 
any  man  or  woman  to  be  arrested  and  punished  in  some  way  for 
giving  vent  to  vile  ideas  in  verbal  language.'*  Men  who  curse  and 
swear,  and  write  smut  on  the  walls  and  doors  of  public  and  private 
places  should  be  severely  punished;  it  is  degrading  to  the  lowest 
degree,  and  springs  from  a  corrupt  mind.  The  perverted  condition 
of  the  love  propensity  is  tiie  cause  of  all  moral  filth,  swearing  in- 
cluded. 

Although  much  has  been  done  to  enable  us  to  perceive  the 
character  and  disposition  of  the  mind  from,  external  signs  in  the 
body,  there  is  need  of  other  discoveries.  The  same  faculties  mani- 
fest themselves  in  various  ways  in  different  persons.  It  is  the 
education  of  the  faculties,  or  lack  of  it,  that  makes  up  the  diversity 
of  their  manifestations  as  much  or  more  than  the  faculties  them- 
selves. Hence  the  phrenologist,  before  he  can  be  perfect,  must 
discover  a  method  by  which  he  can  determine  or  read  in  what 
manner  and  under  what  influence  each  faculty^  has  been  developed. 
I  believe  that  these  conditions,  and  the  peculiar  disposition  of  each 
person  imparted  by  the  animal  propensities  (or  the  organs  lying 
at  the  base  and  interior  of  the  brain),  must  be  observed  from  the 
expression  of  the  countenance. 

Persons  with  a  long  spine  will  be  found  somewhat  repulsive  in 
character.      Serpents  have  long  spines  and  arc  repulsive. 


!\^ 


I--- 


The  upper  lip  is  projecting  over  the  under  lip.  Such  mouths  represent  a  dispoGition 
in- their  owners  to  impress  themselves  strongly  upon  others;  are  advancing  in  manner  and 
behavior,  and  have  generally  considerable  conceit,  egotism  oi;  vanity. 


'.mmodest,  indeiicatCj  fond  of  a  gay  and  ia>L  -ae,  iaxunous  Iivicg;  high  glcj. 


Sportive,  somewhat  cynicdl;   pc-.->jive  affection  denoted 
the  lower  hp.     Liable  to  be  fast. 


■'V^'rfhful  and  slightly  sarcastic;  upper  lip  too  thi^i  in  '^ '•-■e  lower,  henc». 

the  affections  are  not  well  balanced.      ]May  receive  care-sr  .are  little  about 

giving  them.     Turned  up  corners  indicate  a  laughing  dispc5^uior>. 


o\^ 


Common,  vulgar,  lack  of  refinement,  and  neither  voluptuous  nor  affectionate. 
The  aesthetical  nature  deficient. 


Cold  as  an  iceberg.  Stin,  set,  precise; 
consiaerabie  self-control,  but  not  much 
affection.  Observe  the  thinness  of  the 
lower  lip,  also  a  lack  of  curvature  and 
fullness  in  the  middle,  so  essential  as  the 
sign  of  an  affectionate  and  sociable  dis- 
position. 


The  perfect  mouth.  Love  for  ths-i 
which  is  beautiful  and  tasty.  Indicative 
of  a  whole-souled  and  generous  nature. 
Good  disposition,  strong  affection;  desire 
for  caressing  and  kissing.  The  affections 
both  active  and  passive,  A  sociable  and 
warm  nature. 


SViowing  the  under  lip  protruding  beyond  the  upper.  The  fullness  of  the  lowty  i^p 
represents  strong,  active  affections;  but  its  protruding  condition  signifies  a  tendency  in  the 
disposition  of  such  persons  ,to  draw  others  to  them,  to  cause  them  to  succumb  tu  their 
terms,  desires  and  requirements;  a  hmd  of  holding  back  on  their  part,  keeping-  y^f  reserve; 
tnoughj  at  the  same  time,  aggressive  in  spirit. 


EXPRESSION. 


How  it  is  caused  or  produced — Perfection  of  Character — What  the  Organic  Quality  does — 
Lines  and  Expression  around  the  Mouth — Fine  Features— What  gives  the  Eye* 
t.heir  individual  and  peculiar  look — Fascinating  Power  of  the  Eye — What  Persons 
notice  most  in  others — What  the  Face,  as  a  whole,  reveals — Language  of  the  Chiri 
— Formation  of  the  Jaws  in  relation  to  Will  Power — The  Mouth,  the  Nose,  tbe 
Eyes — Meaning  of  the  words  Mind,  Spirit  and  Soul — What  the  Eyes  express — 
Black  F.yes — Light  Eyes — Round  Eyes — Flat  Eyes — What  the  Hair  indicates — The 
different  Colors  and  Quality — A  properly  developed  Character — How  to  Think  right 
— The  Lips,  and  what  they  indicate — Signs  of  Character  in  the  Walk — Restless, 
craving,  passionate  Natures — Gum-chewing  Women. 


It  is  the  exercise  of  the  faculties  that  gives  expression  to  the 
face;  and  as  no  two  persons  have  exactly  a  corresponding  combina- 
tion of  faculties  and  temperaments,  so  there  are  no  two  persons  pos- 
sessing the  same  look,  appearance  or  likeness.  Each  faculty  stamps 
its  own  peculiar  language  upon  the  countenance.  A  dormant 
faculty  makes  little  or  no  impression  upon  the  face.  It  leaves  a 
vacancy;  the  language  of  that  faculty  is  not  there.  Active  benev- 
olence gives  a  beaming,  urbane  look;  agreeableness  imparts  a  win- 
ning, pleasing  look;  amativeness,  a  fascinating  look,  but  if  perverted, 
a  lascivious,  tempting  an4  wicked  look;  resistance  and  firmness,  a 
set,  stern  look;  language,  an  expressive  appearance  around  the  eye; 
ideality,  a  beautiful  look;  self-esteem,  a  dignified  look;  causality,  a 
thoughtful  look;  and  so  on.  The  larger  and  more  active  the  faculty, 
the  more  marked  will  be  its  character  upon  the  face.  But  it  is  the 
combination  of  all  the  faculties  that  gives  the  identical,  definite  look 
to  each  individual.  Hence,  the  secret  of  reading  a  person  by  the 
face  is  in  the  ability  to  discern,  by  mere  expression,  what  faculties 
or  qualities  of  mind  are  pictured  on  the  countenance,  and  to  dis- 
cover whether  they  are  used  in  a  proper  direction  or  in  a  perverted 
manner.  We  are  attracted  or  repelled  according  to  the  language 
of  the  faculties  we  most  admire;  and  I  suppose  we  like  to  see  in 
others  the  same  qualities  of  mind  we  possess  ourselves.  Is  not  this 
the  theory  and  secret  of  love  ? 


Perfection  of  character  depend-  on  the  perfection  and  harmonious 
development  of  all  the  organs  of  the  mind  and  body.  They  must 
all  be  of  equal  size  and  streng-th.  The  temperaments  and  the  or- 
g-anic  quality  must  also  be  equally  combined. 

The  greater  any  given  organ  or  faculty,  the  greater  will  be  its 
power,  its  capacity  of  enjoyment,  and  the  more  will  it  require  to 
receive  satisfaction. 

It  is  the  organic  quality  that  gives  tone,  grade  and  value  to  one's 
character,  talents,  feelings  and  thoughts.  If  that  condition  is  large, 
the  whole  nature,  physical  and  mental,  is  of  a  high  type  and  stand- 
ard; but  if  deficient,  then  it  is  altogether  low  and  common,  and  the 
mind  is  more  of  an  animal  ard  earthly  nature,  no  matter  what  may 
be  the  size  of  the  organs.  Ihe  faculty  of  conscientiousness  cannot 
be  relied  upon,  as  it  may  be  led  by  the  selfish  propensities  and  animal 
desires.  Mirthfulness,  with  vu.ch  an  organization,  would  manifest 
itself  in  foolish  jesting,  and,  ii  destructiveness  was  also  prominent, 
would  delight  in  tormenting  otiier  persons  or  dumb  animals,  just 
for  fun;  but  in  a  higher  nature,  mirthfulness  would  be  intelligent 
wit.  Amativeness  and  conjugality,  with  a  high  and  finely-developed 
organism,  would  be  pure,  true,  exalted  and  spiritual  love;  but  with 
the  opposite  condition,  would  be  Cv'>mmon,  tending  to  a  mere  animal 
feeling,  even  if  moral  —  and  if  not  .T^oral,  would  be  low,  base  and 
degrading  in  its  influence;  and  so  with  all  the  faculties  of  the 
human  mind.  In  observing  character,  iherefore,  the  orgardc  quality 
is  the  first  thing  to  be  observed,  as  that  is  the  foundation  upon 
which  the  whole  man  is  built,  and  the  key  that  unlocks  the  entire 
character. 

The  lines  and  expression  around  the  mouth  betray  and  reveal 
the  state  of  the  heart,  as  to  whether  it  is  gccd-natnred,  mean,  sar- 
castic, sensual,  refined,  peaceful,  happy,  disappeii:tcd.  sour,  etc. 

The  finer  the  features,  the  smoother  and  more  delicate  the  hair, 
and,  also,  the  same  condition  of  the  mind  and  feelings.  A  rough 
face,  a  rough  mind  or  character.  There  are  different  kinds  of  rough- 
ness, however;  the  reader  must  learn  to  distinguish  between  that 
kind  of  roughness  which  indicates  power  or  strength,  and  that 
which  reveals  simply  a  coarse  or  low  mind.  One  thing  necessary 
in  reading  character  is  the  ability  to  discern  the  size  and  relative 
proportions  of  all  the  faculties,  and  to  tell  the  kind  of  feeling  and 
talefit   dilTerent   combinations   of  far ulties   will   produce-— jUSt  the 


axpnessiojf.  ig 

same  as  an  artist  can  tell  what  color  a  copibination  of  other  colors 
will  produce;  or  the  chemist  what  will  be  the  effect  of  a  mixture  of 
dilTerent  chemicals,  or  of  the  same  colors  and  chemicals  in  different 
pr<,.j><)rtions. 

1  hf  round,  smooth,  bab)> -looking  faces  have  not  the  force  and 
-»irtii^ih  of  character  that  the  rough,  angular  and  uneven  face  has; 
and  when  the  lines  are  deep  and  the  features  or  prominences  of  the 
face  stroTiL^ly  marked,  you  may  expect  to  find  originality  of  thought 
and  profundit)'  of  mind,  with  distinguished  character  of  some  kind; 
but  in  the  smooth,  unwrinkled  face,  look  out  for  a  feeble  mind.  By 
feeble  i  do  not  mean  idiotic,  but  rather  weak,  lacking  depth  and 
power.  There  are  a  great  many  baby-looking  faces  in  the  world, 
and  such  persons  rarely  amount  to  anything  beyond  a  com.mon- 
place  life  and  character  —  are  too  fickle  and  childish  in  their  tastes 
and  sentiments. 

In  the  mental  process  of  reading  a  person,  we  first  perceive  the 
expression,  and  from  that  conceive  the  character.  Perception 
arises  from  the  action  of  the  perceptive  faculties,  located  immedi- 
ately over  the  eyes  and  nose;  conception,  from  the  reflective  facul- 
ties, located  in  the  upper  part  of  the  forehead.  In  the  central  part 
of  the  forehead  are  located  most  of  the  literary  faculties. 

It  is  the  largest  and  most  predominating  trait  of  character  that 
g^ives  to  the  eyes  their  peculiar  look  —  that  expressive  cast,  that 
which  we  most  notice  and  are  influenced  by;  hence,  the  expression 
of  the  eye  changes  as  fast  as  our  thoughts  change  and  the  'i^ifferent 
faculties  are  brought  into  action.  The  eyes,  therefore, .  become  a 
mirror. in  which  are  pictured,  as  they  come  and  go,  all  the  thoughts, 
feelings,  emotions  and  passions  of  the  soul.  Mow  easy  it  is  to  see 
the  presence  of  anger,  joy,  sadness  !  So,  in  like  manner,  if  we  study 
until  we  become  familiar  with  the  different  kinds  of  expression,  we 
can  observe  the  language  of  every  change  and  condition  of  the  mind. 

What  a  magnetic  or  fascinating  appearance  is  imparted  to  the 
eye  when  lit  up  by  active  amativeness,  agreeableness  and  approba- 
tiveness!  Secretiveness  and  mirthfulness  are  likewise  conspicu- 
ously manifested  in  the  eye. 

Whatever  persons  notice  most  in  others  clearly  indicates  the 
ruling  trait  of  character  in  them.selves.  If  they  notice  dress  in 
preference  to  anything  else,  then  dress  is  their  chief  desire.  If 
words  mxd  actions  arc  criticised,  then  it  is  character  and  quality  @( 


30  BXPRBSSION. 

mind  that  Is  predominant  in  the  observer.  Artists  notice  features 
expressions  and  beauty;  fashionable  and  amative  persons  notice 
the  style  and  physique  of  individuals,  and  so  on;  each  one  trying 
to  find  in  others  what  is  a  reflex  of  his  own  mind. 

The  face,  as  a  whole,  with  its  accompanying  expression,  reveals 
one's  nature  and  animal  propensities.  It  likewise  shows  whether 
the  faculties  are  active  or  passive,  while  the  head  shows  their  size 
and  proportion  to  each  other.  Every  feature  of  the  face  has  its 
appropriate  manifestation.  The  forehead  portrays  the  amount  of 
intellect.  The  chin  tells  us  how  much  virility,  ardor,  intensity  and 
the  kind  of  affectionate  desire  one  possesses.  The  mouth  shows 
how  much  affection  one  has  —  whether  friendly,  sociable,  warm- 
liearted  or  the  reverse.  The  nose  represents  the  selfish  traits  and 
propensities — those  qualities  of  mind  that  m.ake  men  bold,  fearless, 
aggressive,  far-seeing,  defensive,  determined  and  accumulative. 
But  the  eyes  —  those  two  magnetic  star?  —  what  do  they  mean.? 
That  is  a  question,  reader,  easier  asked  than  answered  There  seems 
to  be  a  mystery  about  the  eyes  which  has  never  yet  been  explained 
What  a  depth  of  meaning,  what  a  mine,  what  a  store-house,  ir 
which  seem  to  be  deposited  things  good  and  bad  I  How  anxiously 
we  look  into  them  and  try  to  discover  what  is  behind !  If  we 
could  only  read  the  thoughts  they  convey!  And  what  a  mental 
effort  we  sometimes  make  to  do  so  I  But,  after  all,  we  have  to  give 
it  up;  they  are  too  much  like  a  policeman's  lantern — the  longer  we 
look,  the  more  blinded  and  confused  we  become.  To  see  through 
a  thing  and  discover  what  is  behind,  is  not  so  easy  as  to  get  behind 
and  see  what  is  ahead. 

Two  things,  however,  are  evident:  First,  all  eyes  are  not  alike; 
second,  they  do  not  affect  us  in  the  same  manner  nor  exercise  the 
same  power  over  us,  neither  do  any  two  individuals.  I  therefore 
conclude  that  the  eyes  reveal  (or  are  an  index  of)  the  kind,  quality 
and  nature  of  the  mind,  spirit  and  soul.  These  three  words  are 
sometimes  used  to  express  one  and  the  same  thing,  yet  each  word 
has  its  peculiar,  specific  meaning. 

Mind  is  used  to  designate  the  intellect  or  understanding — the  *• 
mental  process  of  thinking,  willing  and  choosing;  also,  inclination, 
desire,  intent,  purpose.     Mind  may  likewise  be  termed  the  opera- 
tion of  the  spirit  upon  the  faculties,  bringing  them  into  activity. 

The  word  spirit  means  life,  ardor,  vivacity;  great  activity  of 


EXPRfiSSION.  S  ^ 

peculiar  characteristics  of  mind  and  temper;  disposition  of  mind, 
intellectual  or  moral  state,  cheerfulness,  enterprise.  It  may  also  be 
used  to  indicate  the  highest  principle  in  man. 

By  soul,  we  mean  any  noble  manifestation  of  the  heart  or  moral 
nature;  the  seat  of  life  and  action;  the  rational  and  emotional  part 
of  man's  nature.  Of  course,  these  definitions  are  intended  to  rep- 
resent the  spirit  as  connected  with  the  body.  In  my  chapter  on 
Modern  Christianity,  I  shall  give  a  new  and  more  thorough  descrip- 
tion of  the  differences  between  mind,  spirit  and  soul. 

From  the  above  definitions,  I  presume  it  will  be  clear  to  the 
reader  what  is  meant  by  the  mind,  spirit,  soul,  or  whatever  you 
choose  to  name  that  part  of  man  manifested  in  the  eye.  And  here 
let  me  say  that  the  quality  or  nature  of  the  soul,  as  to  whether  it  is 
pure  and  exalted,  or  gross  and  low,  can  be  determined  by  the 
organic  quality. 

The  eyes,  therefore,  express  every  emotion  of  the  soul,  the 
quality  of  the  soul  and  its  present  moral  condition.  They  seem  to 
be  the  window  through  which  every  faculty  peeps  out.  Eyes  differ 
in  color,  form,  size  and  rapidity  of  motion. 

Black  eyes  are  deep  as  the  ocean,  artful,  crafty,  treacherous,  re- 
vengeful—  a  smoldering  fire  that  may  burst  into  a  full  -blaze  at  a 
moment's  notice.  They  are  generally  retiring  and  reserved,  and 
sometimes  full  of  deviltry.  The  ways  of  a  wicked  person  with 
black  eyes  are  past  finding  out.  So  much  for  the  bad  qualities. 
The  good  qualities  belonging  to  black  or  dark  eyes  are  frankness,  a 
confiding  disposition,  affection,  plain-speaking,  truthfulness,  and  a 
good  degree  of  power,  determination  and  force  of  character.  Many 
black  eyes  are  beautiful,  magnetic  in  their  effect,  and  indicative  of 
a  true,  noble  character.  But,  reader,  never  trifle  with  such,  nor  play 
any  mean  tricks  with  them,  or  they  may  take  fearful  revenge;  you 
can  go  just  so  far,  but  no  farther;  and  once  aroused,  they  give  no 
quarter  and  know  no  such  thing  as  mercy.  I  remember  a  small, 
handsome-looking  woman,  with  large,  black  eyes,  who  put  on  con- 
siderable style,  and  presented  the  appearance  of  a  delicate,  lady-like 
woman.  Those  black  full  moons  of  hers  had  captivated  four  or  five 
young  men,  to  whom  she  had  promised  her  hand  in  marriage.  One 
of  them  did  not  exactly  like  that  kind  of  fun,  and  so  followed  her  up, 
causing  her  to  apprehend  danger.  *  While  talking  with  her  upon 
the  subject,  she  declared  if  he  came  near  her  she  would  shoot  him. 


3«  EXPRESSION. 

I  replied,  she  certainly  would  not  have  the  courage  to  shoot  a  man 
when  she  coolly  walked  over  to  her  bureau  and  took  out  a  pistol, 
remarking,  in  an  emphatic  manner,  "Wouldn't  I?"  1  concluded 
she  would.  Another  black-eyed  woman  told  me  that  if  she  ever 
found  out  her  husband  was  not  true  to  her,  she  would  certainly 
shoot  him. 

Small,  fiat,  light  eyes  are  cunning,  evasive,  sly,  manoeuvering, 
deceitful;  apt  to  lie,  cheat,  and  with  acquisitiveness,  steal.  Their 
deceitfulness  is  different  from  that  of  black  eyes.  Light  eyes  resort 
to  a  good  deal  of  device,  contrivance  and  stratagem.  They  are  full 
of  tactics,  policy  and  management,  and  can  keep  things  to  them- 
selves, with  little  or  no  desire  to  impart  them  to  others,  unless  it  is 
something  that  weighs  terribly  upon  the  mind.  Black  eyes  are  not 
good  at  keeping  secrets.  They  may,  through  conscientiousness  or 
friendship,  keep  things  committed  to  them  as  a  secret  trust,  but 
should  enmity  ever  arise,  they  may  betray  you. 

Light  eyes  would  not  speak  a  thing  right  out,  but  work  to  your 
disadvantage  in  an  underhanded  way — at  the  same  time  pretending 
probably  to  be  your  friend,  and  making  themselves  quite  agreeable; 
but  the  black  eye  would  come  right  out,  declare  war  and  open  fire 
Light-eyed  enemies  are  snakes  in  the  grass;  black-eyed  ones  will 
show  their  enmity,  and  fight  in  the  open  field,  though  they  may 
have  a  very  treacherous  way  of  doing  it  —  something  like  the  Indian. 
for  instance.  The  fact  that  Indians  fight  behind  trees  as  much  as 
possible,  or  some  other  defensive  place,  is  because  that  is  their  mode 
of  life  and  warfare,  and  their  only  means  of  protection  ag.iinst  a 
trained  and  armed  military  company.  What  1  wish  lo  impress 
upon  the  reader  is,  that  they  do  not  conceal  their  feelings,  and  pre- 
tend to  be  friendly  when  they  are  not.  Light  eyes  conceal  their 
character,  their  t''eelings,  emotions,  intentions  and  purposes,  and, 
though  they  may  hate  and  despise  a  person,  will  seldom  manifest 
it  unless  in  some  manner  compelled  to  do  so.  There  are,  however, 
many  amiable,  devoted  women  amony  this  class,  as  well  as  men, 
having  strong,  silent  love,  with  tenderness  and  s\-mpathy.  The 
conditions  peculiar  to  both  kinds  of  e\  e.s  are  all  riL^ht  if  go\  turned 
by  the  intellect  and  moral  faculties,  but.ulK-n  j)er\  L-rtc-d.  then  looic 
out  for  their  evil  manifestations,  as  alread)-  described  In  the  full, 
open  blue  eye,  you  may  expect  to  find  a  mild  and  good  character. 

The  more  round  the  eye,  the  easier  will  it  receive  impressions, 


-% 


Ascerbity,  moroseness;  crusty,  stringent,  self  important;  not  easily  imposed  unon. 
[  i.ock  sociability  and  affection.  Have  much  self-control,  and  not  inclined  to  dissipation. 
j  Observe  the  lips  are  thin  and  compressed.  Generally  very  economical,  or  stingy  and 
ij   mean. 


Dissatisfaction;  sour;  over-particular;  more  nice  than  wise.     Poor  lips  for 
kissing,   and  the  form  scarcely  human. 


Coarseness;  common  mind;  the  affections  more  passive  than 
active;  given  to  sensual  thoughts. 


Sedate,  serious  turn  of  mind;  lack  of  mirthfulness;  deficient  in  character;  common, 

mean,   with  a  little  vanity;  sarcastic.      Mouths  that  droop 

at  the  corners  never  laugh  much. 


r 


The  dreamy  eye.  Full  of  pleasure  and 
animal  enjoyment;  but  good-natured  and 
though tiui.     Can  Jove  more  than  one. 


Submissive,  mild,  discerning,  penetrat- 
ing, and  clear  perception,  b\it  rather 
coquettish. 


The  wanton  eye.  Inclined  to  desire  and  submit  to  licentious  gratification.  Lack  of 
resistance  to  obstacles  or  opposing  circumstances.  Deficient  in  force  of  character  and 
controlling  influence.  Observe  the  flatness  of  the  eye  and  the  distance  between  the  eye- 
lid and  eyebrow. 


The  monogamic  eye.  Wide-awake, 
eager,  active,  very  susceptible  to  sur- 
rounding impressions.  Readily  observe. 
Such  eyes  generally  have  much  feminine 
expression  in  them. 


Expressive,  speaking  eye  when  ani- 
mated. Large  language.  Studious,  in- 
quiring and  watchful;  but  artful,  mean, 
trickish  and  treacherous.  The  color  is 
almost  or  quite  black. 


EXPRESSION.  35 

observe  and  gather  ideas;  and  the  sooner,  also,  will  such  impres- 
sions be  lost  or  forgotten.  The  narrower  the  eye,  the  slower  will 
it  be  in  gathering  facts,  receiving  ideas,  or  coming  to  a  conclusion; 
but  its  possessor  will  retain  knowledge  much  longer  after  it  is 
acquired,  and  such  persons  are  slower  but  more  deliberate  in  judg- 
ment. Small  eyes,  especially  in  children,  are  dull  and  slow  to  learn; 
while  large  are  quick  to  perceive,  full  of  life  and  vivacity.  The 
brighter  the  eye,  the  more  will  the  individual  resemble  his  or  her 
mother.  Eyes  that  are  slow  to  move,  are  slow  in  thought  and  act; 
while  eyes  that  move  rapidly  belong  to  minds  that  are  wide-awake 
and  quick  as  lightning. 

The  hair  indicates  fineness  or  coarseness  of  temperament  and 
feeling,  also  tone  and  strength  of  character  and  constitution". 
Auburn  hair  denotes  quick  susceptibilities.  Black  hair  is  accom- 
panied with  the  bilious  temperament,  which  gives  power,  strength 
and  endurance.  Light  hair  means  delicacy,  fineness  and  lighter 
tone  of  character  —  almost  the  opposite  of  black  hair.  Red  hair 
belongs  to  the  sanguine  temperament,  gives  intense  feelings,  and  a 
fiery,  ardent,  hot-blooded  and  passionate  nature.  If  curly,  emo- 
tional and  impulsive.  Straight  hair  denotes  mildness  or  tameness 
of  nature. 

Red-haired  persons  should  pursue  out-door  employment,  as  they 
need  al'  the  pure  air  they  can  get.  Fine,  light-haired  persons  can 
pursue  ny  light  or  in-door  business,  but  are  not  adapted  for  heavy 
work.  Dark-haired  persons  can  endure  a  considerable  amount  of 
labor  of  aln:ost  u  v  kind.  The  coarser  the  hair,  the  more  so  the 
inc'ividual  in  thought,  feeling  and  manner,  and  vice  versa. 

Men  of  properly  developed  and  prominent  character  are  so 
marked  in  their  appearance,  that,  once  seen,  they,  can  be  easily 
recognized  anywhere;  whereas  common-place  persons  are  more 
difficult  to  distinguish  and  remember. 

He  who  does  not  vary  the  intonation  of  the  voice  in  speaking 
lacks  self-control.  There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  voice  of  per- 
sons, and 'a  wonderful  amount  of  character  is  revealed  in  its  tones. 
We  can  distinguish  an  adult  from  a  child,  and  a  male  from  a  female, 
simply  by  the  voice.  I  shall  never  forget  a  lady  I  heard  trying  to 
awaken  her  sleeping  husband,  one  morning,  in  a  room  adjoining 
mine.  There  was  so  much  tenderness,  sweetness  and  music  in  her 
iQ\%%i  %h%%  tht  tongi  seem  to  be  fixed  in  my  memory.    The  voice 


36  EXPRESSION. 

needs  cultivation,  as  well  as  the  muscles,  and  org^ans  of  the  brain 
The  develo[)ment  of  character  will  modify  the  voice,  and  the  study 
of  vocal  music  and  elocution  will  improve  it. 

Men  cannot  think  and  act  rightly  on  any  subject,  or  have  cleai 
and  proper  ideas,  unless  all  their  faculties  are  brought  into  active 
and  equal  use. 

It  is  the  mental,  passional   and   emotional   temperament*;   com 
bined,  that  give  energy,  go-aheadativeness,   impulsiveness  and   in- 
tensity of  feeling  and  action.     They  cause  a    person    to   throw   the 
whole  soul    into    whatever   is   to   be   done,  especially  in   speaking, 
acting  or  writing. 

A  person  with  a  healthy  and  equally-balanced  condition  of 
faculties  and  vital  organs  att-pacts  (or  causes  people,  thmgs  and 
circumstances  to  succumb  or  place  themselves  under  his  influence 
or  at   his  command)  without  any  special  effort;  while  an  individual 


having  an  organization  which  is  the  reverse,  could  not,  with  special 
effort,  secure  the  same  results  and  power. 

When  the  lips  have  a  pure,  fresh,  cherry-red  appearance,  the 
blood  is  in  the  same  condition,  and  the  health  good;  but  if  they 
look  dry,  scabby,  blue  and  sickly,  the  blood  is  in  a  very  bad  state 

Lips  that  are  full  and  red,  having  a  cushioned  appearance,  indi- 
cate a  strong  social  nature,  or  a  great  amount  of  affection,  and  fond- 
ness for  caressing  and  kissing.  When  the  red  part  of  both  lips  is 
fully  and  evenly  developed,  that  is,  tolerably  thick  and  well  rounded 
out,  the  affections  will  be  more  harmonious  and  evenly  developed. 
and  the  person  will  love  to  kiss  and  be  kissed;  but  if  the  lower  lip 
only  is  full,  and  the  upper  li{j  comparatively  thin,  the  individual  ma) 
enjoy  and  submit  to  being  kissed,  especially  if  a  lady,  but  care  little 
about  kissing  others  (babies  excepted). 

Lips  that  are  thin  and  compressed  are  wanting  in  affection,  and 
indicate  their  possessor  to  be  cold-hearted,  deficient  in  sociability, 
and  stringent,  but  having  much  self-control. 

Lips  that  are  naturally  open,  exposing  the  upper  teeth,  may  mean 
laxity  of  the  passions,  or  a  desire  to  be  praised,  or  both. 

Be  on  your  guard  with  the  individual  whose  mouth  has  a  dis- 
gusting appearance,  a  sarcastic  expression,  objectionable  lines 
around  it,  or  one  corner  drawn  up  more  than  the  other,  unless 
by  injury. 


EXPRESSION.  3; 

A  very  large  mouth  denotes  animalism,  coarseness  or  vulgarity; 
a  straight  mouth,  a  common  or  undeveloped  character  —  nothing  of 
the  beautiful  and  artistic.  Large  mouths,  however,  are  essential  to 
g-ood  speakers,  giving  flexibility,  so  that  they  can  express  them- 
selves easily. 

With  the  large  mouth  we  frequently  find  strength  of  character 
and  talent;  whereas,  in  the  small  mouth,  there  is  generally  over- 
much modesty  and  shallow  sentiment;  are  apt  to  carry  their  civil- 
ized ideas  of  nicety  and  delicacy  too  far;  seem  to  live  in  their  minds 
more  than  in  their  bodies.  Some  one  has  said  that  a  "blue  and  thin- 
lipped  woman  will  bore  you  to  death  with  literature-or  woman's 
rights  theories,  while  you  want  your  dinner,  or  spoil  your  temper 
by  their  red-hot,  scolding  tongues;"  but  that  will  depend  somewhat 
on  other  combinations:  if  she  has  a  m.asculine  temperament,  such 
may  be  the  case,  because  there  would  not  be  miuch  congeniality 
in  her  nature.  If  the  mouth  is  coarse  as  well  as  large,  there  will 
either  be  much  sensuality  or  strong,  coarse  points  of  character  that 
will  render  life  with  such  a  person  anything  but  pleasant. 

There  is  considerable  character  manifested  in  the  chin,  as  it  in- 
dicates the  force  and  strength  of  the  mind  in  connection  with  the 
nature  and  peculiarities  of  the  affections.  The  connection  between 
the  Latin  word  mentu^n  for  chin,  and  mens  for  mind,  is  certainly 
suggestive,  especially  as  m.indless  animals  have  no  chin.  Search 
the  entire  animal  kingdom  and  )'ou  cannot  find  a  perfect  or  well- 
formed  chin  as  seen  in  the  human  family;  and,  though  animals  un- 
doubtedly have  understanding  and  a  certain  amount  or  kind  ol 
reason,  they  evidently  have  not  the  power  or  capacity  for  compara- 
tive, deductive  and  logical  reasoning.  The  less  chin  a  person  has, 
or  the  m.ore  it  recedes  toward  the  neck,  the  less  persistence  and 
mind  force  there  is;  the  more  it  advances  or  projects  from- the  level 
of  the  face,  the  more  persistence  and  tenacity  of  mind  there  will  be. 
A  sharp,  narrow,  round,  pointed  cliin  belongs  to  persons  of  very 
tender  but  intense  affections,  who  keenly  feel  the  loss  of  loved 
friends,  take  things  to  heart  easily,  and  are  possessed  of  a  weak 
heart  physically  as  well  as  mentally.  But  in  the  broad,  full  chiii 
you  will  find  a  stronger  heart,  more  vigorous  and  powerful  circuit- 
tion  of  tlood,  and,  therefore,  a  much  stronger  an^  less  easily  affected  " 
love  nature.  The  affections  are  less  sensitive  and  not  so  easily  t)ro- 
ken  or  crushed  in  the  broad,  round,  full  chin  as  they  are  in  \\\^  small, 


3g  EXPRESSION. 

round,  pointed  chin.  In  fact  there  is  more  vigor  and  power  to  the 
affections  and  will  in  a  large  or  broad,  full,  prominent  chin  than 
there  is  to  a  small  one,  no  matter  what  the  shape  may  be,  whether 
round  or  square  at  the  point.  The  narrow,  round,  pointed  chin 
means  desire  for  affinity  and  congeniality;  gives  much  intensity 
of  feeling,  but  less  power  and  consistency.  The  broad,  round, 
pointed  chin  is  perhaps  the  most  perfect  form,  as  it  indicates  good 
heart  power,  and  strong,  constant,  enduring  love  for  the  obje^  of 
its  affections.  The  narrow,  square  chin,  means  a  desire  to  lo^re  or 
bestow  the  affections  on  some  other  person.  The  broad,  square 
chin  a  more  violent,  erratic,  and  powerful  state  of  the  affertions, 
which  needs  controlling.  In  the  indented  chin  there  is  a  longing 
desire  on  the  part  of  its  possessor  to  be  loved,  are  unhappy  unless 
they  have  the  affections  of  some  person;  and,  when  they  h?ve  not, 
are  apt  to  make  love  themselves  in  order  to  secure  a  lover,  ^,ven  if 
the  individual  with  such  a  chin  should  be  a  lady. 

A  prominent,  pointed  chin  signifies  ardor  and  impulsiveness  in 
regard  to  the  affections.  A  deficient  or  receding  chin  d-notes  a 
lack  of  virility. 

The  lower  jaw  taken  as  a  whole  indicates  the  various  states  ol 
will  power.      There    seem    to   be    three    elements   or   parts    that 
constitute  the  entire  will,  viz.:    persistence  or  perseverance,  obsti- 
nacy and  contrariness.     It  is  possible,  however,  that  the  two  last 
elements  of  will  may  be  one  and  the  same   thing  manifested  ma 
different   way;    nevertheless,   we   find  three  conditions  of  the  will 
manifested  in  three  well  known  animals,  and  their  jaws  are  all  dif- 
ferently formed.     First,  there  is  the  hog  kind  of  will,  shown  by  the 
width  of  the  jaw  in  the  back  part;  secondly,  the  mule  and  jackass 
will   shown  by  the  drooping  of  the  jaw  in  the  rear  part,  m  contrast 
to  the  jaw  of  the  horse  and  other  animals  the  opposite  in  will  power; 
and  thirdly,  the  bulldog  will,  shown  in  the  long,  forward-projecting 
chin   in  contrast  to  that  of  the  wolf     When  a  bulldog  gets  hold  of 
a  person  or  thing,  he  means  business  and  persists  m  hanging  on. 
So  in  human  life;  we  find  some  people  who  are  persistent  and  per- 
severing in  their  efforts  to  accomplish  success  or  gain  an  object; 
while  others,  wolf-like,  snap  at  a  thing  and  instantly  let  go,  others, 
again,  are  as  headstrong,  unyielding  and  stubborn  as  any  mule  or 
jackass,  especially  when  they  cannot  have  their  own  way     This  is  a 
good  trait  of  character,  however,  when  properly  used  and  not  per- 


BXPRESSIOH.  3^ 

verted,  as  It  gives  stability  and  unflinching  principle  to  the  character; 
but  in  domestic  and  business  life  it  is  too  frequently  used  in  the 
wrong  way.  Another  class  of  people  are  just  like,  or  as  contrary  and 
perverse  as  the  hog.  The  moment  they  discover  you  want  them  to 
do  a  certain  thing  or  pursue  a  certain  course,  they  are  sure  to  door 
take  the  opposite.  They  seem  to  delight  in  thwarting  others  in 
their  plans  and  purposes.  All  three  conditions  of  the  will  can  be 
propefly  and  improperly  used,  and  if  each  person  used  his  will  to 
control  himself  as  much  as  he  does  others,  the  world,  or  the  people 
in  it,  would  be  a  good  deal  better  physically,  intellectually  and 
rhorally. 

Many  persons  think  the  nose  of  very  little  importance  in   read- 
ing character,  but  it  is  just  the  opposite.     It   represents  masculine 
and  feminine  qualities  more   than   any  other  feature  —  shows  how 
much  power  and  force  of  mind  one  has,  and  how  much  of  the  com- 
mercial, aggressive  and  martial  spirit — shows  whether  one  is  long- 
headed enough  to  see  into  a  mill-stone,  or  no  farther  than  the  point 
of  his  nose,      it   shows   whether   the   character   is   weak   or  strong, 
whether  the  disposition  is  of  a  turn-up  or  turn-down  nature.     If  the 
nose  is  concave  and  turned  up  a  little  at  the   point,  whenever   such 
persons  become  offended  (and  such  individuals  take   offense   easily) 
they  will   manifest   a  sort   of  turn-up,   go-oflf,  get-away,  leave-you- 
alone  sort  of  spirit,  and  act  as  if  they  were  afraid  to  have  anything 
more  to  say  or  do  with  the  offender.     Certain  animals  will  act  in  a 
similar  manner.     Take  pussy,  for  instance.     Do  something  she  does 
not  like,  and  she  goes  off  to  another  part  of  the  room,  and  looks  at 
you  in  a  half- frightened,  suspicious  manner,  as  much  as  to  say,  "You 
contemptible  thing,  what  do  you  mean?  and  why  do  you  do  that  ^ 
For  the  turned-up  nose  has  likewise  an  inquisitive  disposition;  but 
pussy  never  seeks  revenge  by  making  any  attack  upon  you  at  any 
?  I  future  time,  nor  has  she  just  the  kind  of  nose  I  have  been  describ- 
^f  jing;  nor  do  human  beings  with  this  kind  of  nose  seek  retaliation  or 
n  jrevenge  in  the  future  —  they  are  generally  contented  to  leave  one 
severely  alone.     But  the  convex  nose,  turning  down  at  the  point. 
n  eagle  fashion,  is  just  the    opposite.     Do  them  an  injury  or  an 
rSt  imaginary  evil,  and  they  will  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  pounce  upon 
oi  ^ou  like  an  eagle  upon  its  prey  —  not  physically,  perhaps,  but  in 
s»  some  manner  they  will  take  the  advantage  of  you;  it  may  be  in  a 
«(•  business  transaction,  or  in  the  way  of  an  injury  to  your  character. 


J  IXPRESSION. 

The  story  of  the  tailor  and  the  eleph'ant  somewhat  illustrates  thb 
shade  of  character.  A  tailor  was  in  the  habit  of  tormenting  an 
elephant  by  pricking  him  with  his  needle.  The  elephant  did  not 
resent  it  at  the  time,  but  went  away  to  a  pool  of  the  dirtiest  water 
he  could  find,  and  sucking  up  all  he  could  carry  in  his  proboscis, 
returned  to  the  tailor  and  gave  him  the  benefit  of  a  good  ducking. 
While  examining  a  person  having  a  n^se  of  this  description,  I  re- 
marked that,  if  a  person  took  any  advantage  of  him  or  did  him  an 
injury,  he  would  try  to  get  even  with  him  some  tim.e,  if  it  was  fifty 
years  afterwards.  The  subject  replied  that  he  would  if  it  were  a 
hundred  years  afterwards.     Such  persons  never  forget  an  injury. 

So  significant  a  feature  has  the  nose  been  that  persons  have  fre- 
quently been  noted  and  even  nam.ed  from  peculiarities  of  the  nose. 
For  instance,  Cicero  was  a  nick-name;  the  real  name  of  the  great 
Roman  orator  was  Marcus  TuUius,  to  which  was  added  the  agnomen, 
CzVf'r^,  from  the  word  Cicer,  a  vetch  or  kind  of  chick-pea,  on  ac- 
count of  the  shape  or  some  other  peculiarity  of  his  nose,  or  the 
noses  of  his  progenitors.  So  also  the  poet  Ovid,  or  Publius  Ovidius, 
was  called  A''a.f^,  from  his  prominent  nose. 

Moral  courage  is  indicated  by  a  long  nose  that  .stands  well  out 
from  the  face  in  the  upper  part  joining  the  forehead;  also  giving  a 
^\6.^  space  betvveen  the  eye-brows,  as  seen  in  the  picture  of  Luther 
Such  persons  will  stand  firm  and  uphold  any  moral  truth  or  prin- 
ciple though  a^l  the  world  oppose,  and  such  a  character  had  Luther, 
the  great  reformer. 

The  desire  to  climb  and  ascend  high  places,  such  as  hills,  mount- 
ains, towers' and  steeples,  may  be  known  by  a  nose  that  stands  well 
out  from  the  face  in  its  lower  part,  and  inclines  slightly  upward  at 
the  point.  The  jJiind  of  such  a  person  will  also  have  a  progressive 
ind  upward  tendency,  will  desire  to  rise  in  the  scale  of  humanity, 
will,  in  short,  be  lofty-minded.  Especially  will  the  latter  be  true 
if  the  individual  is  endowed  with  a  large  amount  of  the  organic 
quality. 

The  convex  nose  also  indicates  combativeness  —  the  opposing, 
resisting,  fighting  and  energetic  spirit. 

When  the  central  part  of  the  nose,  where  it  joins  the  face,  Is 
wide,  it  indicates  a  commercial  spirit,  love  of  money  or  property, 
And  desire  to  accumulate.  When  narrow,  it  means  deficiency  in 
that  respect.      When  the  nose  is  broad  at  the  wings  and  sharp  at 


Sternness,  commanding,  ability,  au- 
thority, discernment,  reflection,  resist- 
ance, determination.  Observe  the  pro- 
jecting, overhanging  eyebrows. 


Love,  modesty,  tenderness.  ]\e[)re 
sents  a  character  ahnost  perfect  as  far  as 
good,  amiable  and  moral  traits  are  con- 
cerned. 


Sound,  mature  understanding;  full  of  plans  and  schemes;  shrewd,  thoughtful;  policy 
and  management  of  human  nature;  observe  the  drooping  over  the  eyelid  at  the  outer  corner. 
Are  apt  to  lie  or  evade  the  truth. 


Quick  to  perceive,  wide-awake;  im- 
pressibility; observe  rapidly,  but  do  not 
retain  impressions  long,  or  think  intently. 
Good  eyesight. 


Tlie  amorous,  sensual,  talkative  and 
unprincipled  eye.  Apt  to  lead  a  f  j.st  life. 
Observe  the  fullness  of  the  under  eyelid. 
In  the  living  eye  the  expression  is  wicked 
and  insinuating." 


THE  SECRETIVE  EYE. 

Secretiveness  is  shown  in  the  half  closed  eyelids  and  very  light  eye.  Such  persons 
seem  to  peep  out  at  you  like  a  cat.  They  keep  their  own  counsel,  are  evasive  and  non- 
eommunicative  in  reference  to  their  business,  plans  and  purposes,  as  well  as  their  general 
thoughts.  Even  their  most  intimate  friends  hardly  know  their  mind.  They  are  slow  and 
careful  in  expressing  themselves,  and  generally  talk  in  subdued  or  soft  tones  of  voice. 
This  kind  of  secretiveness  differs  from  that  found  in  Negroes  and  Indians:  their  charac- 
teristic being  artifice  and  cunning,  rather  than  genuine  secretiveness;  for  the  Negro  is 
joud,  boisterous  and  demonstrative,  and  lets  everybody  know  within  range  what  is  going 
on,  which  a  secretive  person  always  seeks  to  avoid.  It  is  true  they  steal  and  do  things  on 
the  sly,  but  that  is  the  result  of  necessity,  cunning  and  artifice.  In  the  blonde  complex- 
ions, where  the  light  eye  predominates,  we  find  secretiveness  proper;  in  the  brunette  or 
dark  races,  where  the  black  or  dark  brown  eyes  predominate,  we  find  a  different  kind  of 
secretiveness.  which  verges  into  cunning,  artifice  and  treachery. 


BXPHESSION.  43 

the  point,  there  is  also  a  love  of  money,  with  a  tendency  to  be  close, 
or  make  by  saving  and  cutting  down  expenses.  When  broad  at  the 
wings  and  hooked  at  the  point,  there  is  a  desire  to  make  money  by 
speculation  or  unfair  means. 

The  nose  that  stands  well  out  from  the  face  and  of  the  Grecian 
type,  indicates  a  love  of  the  beautiful,  or  the  aesthetic  nature.  A 
long  riose  indicates  a  long-headed,  far-seeing,  shrewd,  scheming, 
planning  mind.  Are  generally  quick  to  read  human  nature,  and  are 
cautious  but  not  always  the  most  reliable  or  trustworthy. 

Whenever  you  see  a  bump  or  prominence  in  the  center  of  a  per- 
son's nose,  you  may  know  they  are  inclined  to  argue,  combat,  resist, 
oppose  or  defend  in  some  way  or  other;  will  also  manifest  much 
energy  in  business  or  any  enterprise  ^they  may  be  engaged  in. 
When  the  prominence  is  high  up  on  the  nose,  near  the  frontal  sinus 
or  forehead,  it  indicates  an  aggressive  spirit.  When  it  is  near  the 
point  of  the  nose,  it  means  personal  defense,  protection  of  one's 
rights,  property  and  person,  and  also  betrays  considerable  selfish- 
ness, especially  in  business  affairs.  Such  a  nose  will  always  look 
out  for   self. 

Where  the  nostrils  are  wide  open  it  is  a  sign  of  good  lung  and 
breathing  power;  when  narrow,  a  deficiency. 

The  manner  of  walking  corresponds  and  harmonizes  with  the, 
habits  and  disposition.  A  slouch  and  a  sloven  hang  out  their  signs 
as  they  walk.  A  man  of  ambition,  energy  and  hope  will  walk 
rapidly,  briskly  and  take  long  steps. 

The  man  who  has  much  firmness  and  precision  in  his  character 
will  have  just  that  kind  of  a  walk. 

Those  who  have  an  easy,  graceful  walk,  will  do  things  in  like 
manner;  while  those  who  seem  to  make  an  effort  to  walk,  work  and 
labor  as  if  it  were  a  task. 

Beware  of  persons  who,  when  viewed  from  behind,  have  a  sort 
of  mean,  shuffling,  secretive  kind  of  walk.  They  move  along  as 
though  they  were  afraid  to  use  their  legs. 

Those  who  step  heavily  on  the  heel  generally  have  much  solidity 
and  firmness  of  character.  Those  who  walk  tip-toe  fashion  are 
fond  of  dancing  and  prone  to  the  sentimental  side  of  life.  Those 
who  have  a  springy,  up-and-down  step,  are  happy,  hopeful  natures, 
but  apt  to  be  unbalanced  mentally;  in  other  words,  have  rooms  to 
rent  in  the  upper  stpry. 


44 


EXPRESSION. 


Those  who  walk  very  lightly  may  have  a  light,  mirthful,  senti' 
mental  kind  of  character,  or  possess  secretiveness  or  cautiousnes*. 
or  all  combined. 

A  person  who  is  overflowing  with  conceit,  egotism  and  vanity, 
(vill  not  only  show  it  in  the  face  and  eyes,  but  in  the  dignified,  self- 
complacent,  pompous,  I-don't-care  kind  of  a  walk.  The  head  will 
also  be  erect  or  slightly  elevated.  A  man  who  is  brim-full  of  bus- 
iness, walks  in  a  hurried  and  somewhat  excited  manner;  while  onr 
,vho  has  made  a  fortune  and  retired,  walks  along  cool,  easy,  \ch 
urcly  and  indifferent. 

Large  self-esteem  and  firmness  will  not  only  cause  their  possess- 
or to  walk  erect  and  stand  straight,  but  also  to  sit  erect,  scarcely 
bending  the  body  in  any  })()sition.  Sitting  or  lounging  in  a  careless 
manner  generally  denotes  deficient  self-esteem. 

Carnivorous  animals  have  savage-looking  eyes,  but  the  herbiv- 
orous have  mild  and  soft  eyes.  Contrast  the  eyes  of  the  lion,  tiger 
and  hyena  with  the  deer,  gazelle,  cow  and  horse.  Mild,  harniiess, 
inoffensive  people  will  have  eyes  that  are  mild  and  soft  in  expres- 
sion, but  stern,  severe,  cruel  and  dangerous  persons  will  have  hard, 
savage,  unkind  and  somewhat  repulsive-looking  eyes. 

The  difference  in  the  phrenological  and  physiognomical  mani- 
festations of  the  same  faculties  is  simply  this:  phrenology,  or  an 
examination  of  the  head,  reveals  the  latent  power,  or  original 
strength  of  the  faculties,  while  physiognomy  or  the  expression 
of  the  face,  shows  the  activity  of  the  faculties  and  the  manner  in 
which  they  have  been  exercised,  or  the  kind  of  education  they 
have  received,  whether  good  or  bad.  The  face,  however,  is  much 
more  expressive  of  feeling  than  it  is  of  thought,  especially  that 
part  of  the   face   from   the   eyebrows  downward. 

Persons  who  have  a  restless,  craving,  passionate  nature,  arc 
never  contented  unless  witnessing  or  taking  part  in  something 
exciting,  such  as  gambling,  horse-racing,  or  any  of  the  sporting 
games,  attending  some  sensational  play  or  fashionable  ball  —  will 
indulge  in  stimulants  of  some  kind,  such  as  wines,  liquors  and  to- 
bacco. A  woman  who  chews  gum  and  has  little  ambition  for  any- 
thing else  than  to  dress  and  attend  fashionable,  showy  places  ot 
amusement,  and  visit  drinking  restaurants,  has  generally  the  same 
elements  of  character;  and  if  she  conveniently  could,  would  go 
anywhere  ^nd  everywhere  that  a  man  does.      The  commpn  habit  of 


EXPRESSION.  45 

picking  the  teeth  indicates  a  sort  of  craving,  uneasy  nature,  one 
fond  of  some  kind  of  excitement.  The  constant  practice  of  many 
>v  pu  king  their  teeth  for  half  an  hour  after  eating,  and  even  be- 
tuet-n  (neaN  and  swallowing  all  of  the  corrupt  matter  instead  of 
eniting  it.  IS  just  about  as  dirty  and  irritating  a  practice  as  picking 
>nc  s  nose  Tooth-picking,  gum-chewing,  tobacco-chewing,  and 
even  smoking,  are  all  exciting  and  injurious  habits.  No  one  of 
thrm  beautify  or  lend  any  charm  to  the  face  or  character. 


BLONDES  AND  BRUNETTES. 


Definition  of  Blondes  and  Brunettes — An  Intermediate  Type — Why 
Tropical  regions  produce  Brunettes,  and  the  Temperate, 
Blondes — Cause  of  diversity  of  Color  in  the  Eyes — Blood,  and 
its  relation  to  the  mind— Characteristic*  of  Hazel  and  Black- 
eyed  people — The  nature  of  one's  Magnetism  modified  by  the 
Nature  and  Color  of  the  Blood — Insinuation,  two  kinds  of  it 
applicable  to  Brunettes — The  Reserved  Nature  of  Brunettes — 
The  Nature  of  their  Affections — Deficient,  Character  of 
Blondes — The  Conscience  of  Blondes— Their  Inclination  to 
Sin — Their  Cleanliness — Cause  of  Temper — Different  kinds  of 
Temper — Red-haired  Persons. 


A  BLONDE  IS  a  person  with  fair,  clear,  soft  complexion,  light  hair 
and  light  eyes.  A  brunette  has  dark  hair,  eyes  and  complexion. 
The  eyes  are  sometimes  very  dark,  apparently  black,  with  seldom  any 
color  it  the  face. 

I  should  regard  the  above  explanation  unnecessary  were  it  not  for 
the  fact  that  I  once  conversed  with  a  lady  of  affluence,  who  aimed  to 
shine  in  social  and  literary  circles,  who  did  not  know  the  difference 
between  a  blonde  and  a  brunette. 

There  is  another  type  arising  from  the  predominance  of  the  arterial 
blood  or  sanguine  temperament,  having  red  hair  and  a  highly-colored 
complexion,  which  I  will  describe  in  this  chapter,  as  these  three  types 
of  character,  either  singly  or  in  combination,  arc  found  in  most 
American  and  European  people. 

Blondes  sometimes  have  brown  eyes  and  brunettes  light  or  blue — 
conditions  they  have  inherited  from  their  parents,receiving  the  physical 
nature  of  one  and  the  mental  of  the  other;  or, it  may  be  caused  by  one 
parent  being  a  blonde  and  the  other  a  brunette. 

The  majority  of  people  are  neither  pure  blondes,  brunettes,  nor  of 
florid  complexion,  but  a  mixture  of  these  two  or  three  types  in  dififerent 
proportions;  so  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  intermediate  conditions. 

The  natural  traits  of  character  peculiar  to  blondes  and  brunettes  are 
as  different  and  unlike  as  their  complexions  are;  and  the  color  of  their 

fec^  is  a  pretty  good   index   to   the  color   or    nature   ol    tl^eif 


THE  BLONDE— AN  ACTRESS. 

Frotyi  a  PJiotograph  hy   Gelirig,  of  CJiicago. 

I  selected  this  picture  to  illustrate  the  mental  rather  than  the  physical  qualities  ot 
the  American  blonde.  Physically,  blondes  are  generally  more  voluptuous  in  their  forms 
than  the  person  represented  in  the  above  cut.  But  the  cute,  wide-awake,  knowing, 
mirthful  and  somewhat  cunning  or  artful  expression,  so  characteristic  of  blondes,  is  here 
well  illustrated.  One  of  those  smiling,  happy,  I-do-not-care-in-for-a-good-time  sort  of 
expressions. 


1 


liRUXETTE. 
The  Oblong  Form  oi  Face. 


BLONDES   AND   BRUNETTES.  49 

minds.  And  here  the  question  arises.  Why  do  the  tropical  regions 
produce  brunettes,  and  the  temperate  or  colder  climates  produce 
blondes?  There  have  been  various  theories  and  reasons  given  in 
reg^ard  to  this  difference;  but  I  do  not  think  the  primary  cause  has 
ever  been  explained,  and  if  I  should  happen  to  give  a  reason  that 
may  ap[)ear  absurd  to  the  reader,  or,  in  reality,  to  be  erroneous,  I 
shall  only  be  doing  what  many  (in  fact,  most,  if  not  all)  philosoph- 
ical and  scientific  men  have  done  in  relation  to  some  of  their  pel 
theories. 

I  assert,  in  the  first  place,  that  there  can  be  no  permanent  change 
in  the  color  of  a  living,  healthy  body,  unless  produced  by  the  action 
of  the  mind;  and  nothing  material  can  act  upon  the  mind  except 
through  the  senses,  and  by  the  aid  of  electricity,  or  the  nervous 
fluid,  the  connecting  link  between  mind  and  matter. 

Secondly,  mind  rules  and  molds  matter,  and  makes  it  like  unto 
itself.  If  you  ask  me  how  I  know  that  mind  molds  and  rules  matter 
instead  of  matter  mind,  I  answer,  that  as  far  as  we  know,  sj)irit  ex- 
isted before  matter,  the  Creator  before  that  which  he  created;  hence, 
I  prefer  to  reason  from  the  metaphysical  down  to  the  physical;  from 
the  immaterial  to  the  material;  from  the  infinite  down  to  the  finite, 
in  the  order  of  creation  and  molding  power,  instead  of  looking  for 
the  infinite  to  emerge  from  the  finite,  or  the  spirit  principle  from 
the  physical.  The  sun  controls  and  regulates  our  globe,  and  not 
our  earth  the  sun.  The  light,  heat  and  electricity  of  the  sun  is 
superior  to  matter,  so,  reasoning  from  analogy,  spirit  is  superior  to 
matter,  and  therefore  controls  it.  The  body  is  the  image  of  the 
mind,  as  much  as  man  is  the  image  of  his  Maker.  The  color  and 
condition  of  the  body  are,  therefore  the  reflex  of  the  mind. 

Flowers  owe  their  various  tints  and  hues  to  the  light  and  heat 
of  the  sun  indirectly;  and  yet  every  ilower  preserves  its  identity 
and  appropriate  color,  clearly  showing  that  it  is  not  the  direct  action 
of  the  sun  which  produces  a  blackening  or  bleaching-out  process. 
So  1  believe  every  human  being  has  a  color  in  harmony  with  the 
mind,  and  that  the  mind,  spirit  or  soul, is  the  primary  or  direct,  while 
external  agencies  (such  as  sun  and  climate)  are  indirect,  agencies 
or  causes,  and  that  these  indirect  causes  first  act  upon  the  mind, 
and  through  it  upon  the  body. 

It  is  the  soul  that  gives  color  to  the  eye;  therefore  black,  brown, 
blue,  grey  and  hazel  eyes  exp.-ess  different  conditions  and  feelings 


50  BLONDES   AND   BRUNETTES. 

of  the  soul.  External  impressions,  atmospheric  conditions  and 
changes  act  upon  our  nervous  system,  and  through  it  upon  the 
mind,  causing  us  to  think,  feel  and  act  differently;  and  as  mind, 
through  the  nervous  fluid,  acts  upon  matter,  it  in  turn  gradually 
changes  our  external  appearance.  If  this  is  not  so,  why  does  joy, 
trouble,  bereavement,  anxiety,  and  an  excess  of  any  passion,  stamp 
themselves  upon  the  features?  Why  does  too  much  sexual  inter- 
course, or  abuse  of  any  kind,  make  the  eyes  and  their  surroundings 
look  dull,  heavy,  impure,  black  or  smutty?  But,  you  say,  these  are 
physiological  manifestations.  Partially  so,  but  not  entirely.  Sup- 
pose the  mind  to  be  separated  from  the  body,  what  impression  or 
change  could  be  made  upon  it  except  by  the  laws  of  chemistry, 
which  decompose  it? 

The  rays  of  the  sun  bring  two  great  blessings  to  humanity  — 
light  and  heat.  Some  things  are  peculiarly  sensitive  to  light,  others 
to  heat.  It  is  the  nature  of  light  and  heat  to  change  the  properties 
and  color  of  anything  that  is  sensitive  or  capable  of  receiving  im- 
pressions from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Nitrate  of  silver,  brought  in 
contact  with  organic  matter,  will  change  color — that  is,  turn  black 
when  exposed  to  the  actinic  rays.  So  the  mind,  when  brought  in 
contact  with  our  physical  nature,  receives  impressions  from  the 
sun,  and  our  feelings  and  desires  change  in  proportion  to  the  inten- 
sity of  the  light  and  heat.  And  these  mental  changes  are  in  turn 
impressed  upon  our  bodies;  so  that,  in  time,  they  present  a  dark- 
ened appearance.  Hot  and  cold  climates  produce  opposite  effects 
upon  people.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  natives  of  hot  climates  are  pas- 
sionate, voluptuous,  dreamy  and  inert,  while  those  of  colder  climates 
are  just  the  opposite  —  cold  and  indifferent,  but  more  active,  men- 
tally and  physically  ? 

I  conclude,  therefore  (or  rather  infer),  that  the  heatjng  rays  of 
the  sun  have  more  effect  upon  human  beings  than  the  actinic  rays. 

Heat  first  produces  inertia,  and  inertia  brings  on  those  qualities 
and  conditions  of  mind  and  body  peculiar  to  the  brunette  type  of 
character. 

If  blondes  go  to  a  hot  climate  and  remain,  their  descendants 
will  in  time  get  dark;  and  if  brunettes  go  to  a  cold  climate,  their 
descendants  will  in  time  get  lighter;  and  their  character  will  like- 
wise change  in  proportion. 


Blood  is  animal  life,  and  the  quality  of  a  man's  thoughts  will 
depend  on  the  quality  of  his  blood;  and  the  kind  of  blood  will  de- 
termine the  kind  of  life.  And  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
blood,  or  the  iron  contained  in  the  blood,  is  the  developer  of  thought, 
in  the  same  way  that  sulphate  of  iron  in  water  is  the  developer  of 
the  latent  image  on  the  photographer's  sensitized  plate.  It  is  the 
blood  that  feeds  or  nourishes  tha  organs  of  the  brain,  and  excites 
them  to  action;  that  is,  I  believe  the  blood  is  the  physical  medium, 
and  electricity  the  spiritual  medium  of  exciting  the  brain  and  pro- 
ducing thought  in  a  material  organization.  It  is  the  blood  that 
gives  color  to  the  complexion  ;  when  there  is  an  abundance  of  arte- 
rial, pure  cherry-red  blood,  we  have  the  sanguine  temperament, 
which  imparts  a  red  complexion  and  red  hair.  When  the  blood  is 
mostly  venous,  or  dark-colored,  it  leaves  the  complexion  dark  and 
the  hair  black;  and  in  connection  with  the  liver  produces  the  bilious 
temperament.  This  kind  of  blood,  or  venous  system,  belongs  to 
tropical  regions.  Any  person  having  this  kind  of  blood  is  cold- 
blooded: hence,  can  bear  any  amount  of  heat,  unless  modified  by 
combinations  of  other  temperaments.  It  imparts  a  sort  of  dor- 
mant and  inactive  or  indolent  nature,  and  is  active  only  vvheHj 
aroused.  When  a  man  or  woman,  having  this  venous  blood,  is  pro-\ 
voked  and  thoroughly  aroused,  he  or  she  is  very  dangerous,  venom-  \ 
ous,  malignant,  hateful,  and  merciless  in  attack. 

We  sometimes  hear  of  men  who,  all  their  lifetime,  have  been 
known  as  quiet  and  peaceable  citizens,  who,  becoming  enraged, 
have  committed  some  terrible  deed.  Black-eyed  and  black-haired 
people  often  have  a  good  deal  of  unfathomable  meanness  and  treach- 
ery; their  ways  are  so  dark  and  mysterious  that  they  are  past  find- 
ing out,  and  the  more  of  that  snake -kind  of  blood  they  have,  the! 
worse  they  are,  and  their  power  to  fascinate  and  use  a  magnetic  | 
influence  upon  others  is  beyond  description.  Many  persons  with 
arterial  blood  exercise  a  healthy  magnetism;  but  the  venous  blood 
in  a  person  with  large,  black,  penetrating  eyes,  imparts  a  sort  of 
sickly,  irritating,  weakening  magnetism,  similar  to  what  serpents 
ase  in  charming.  May  heaven  preserve  you,  reader,  from  being  a 
victim,  for  if  once  you  get  under  the  influence  of  such  a  person,  you 
Are  a  gone  case  —  you  are  simply  a  t^,  like  a  mouse  in  the  claws  of 
a  cat,  or  a  bird  flying  around  in  agony  as  it  sees  the  open  mouth  of 
4ts  destroyer,  but  is  unable  to  save  itself.     I  know  of  but  one  way 


S2  BLONDES  AND   BRUNETTES. 

to  counteract  the  powerful  influence  of  men  and  women  fascinators 
of  this  description.  That  is,  to  set  your  whole  nature  against  them, 
and  firmly  resist  their  first  attack.  The  more  you  yield  to  their 
influence,  the  harder  it  is  to  break  away  —  like  a  man  being  fasci- 
nated by  a  serpent — the  longer  he  stands  and  looks  at  it,  the  feebler 
he  is,  until  he  is  unable  to  move. 

Persons,  however,  having  pure  arterial  blood,  and  a  healthy, 
vigorous  constitution,  will  have  a  healthy  influence  over  others,  and, 
if  the  magnetic  power  is  strong,  can  n^e  it  for  healing  others,  though 
they  may  likewise  use  it  for  evil  purposes. 

Insinuation  is  another,  and  perhaps  the  worst,  characteristic 
belonging  to  brunettes,  especially  those  who  have  deep,  cunning, 
knowing  black  eyes.  This  is  one  objection  that  has  been  raised 
against  the  Jews;  the  men  particularly  h.ive  that  bold,  aggressive,  pen- 
etrating, hard  way  of  looking  at  a  person, especially  ladies,  as  thou^^h 
they  would  like  to  look  right  through  them;  and  there  are  a  good 
many  men  besides  Jews  who  do  the  same  thing.  There  are  two 
kinds  of  insinuations,  and  both  more  applicable  to  brunettes,  though 
frequently  found  in  the  blonde  iii  a  modified  form.  Oi\e  is  harmless, 
the  other  evil.  A  harmless  insinuation  is  the  act  of  gaining  favor, 
influence  and  affection,  by  gentle  means  —  the  act  of  ingratiating 
one's-self,  in  a  pleasing  manner,  into  the  good-will  and  confidence 
of  another,  without  any  desire  or  intention  to  injure  or  take  ad- 
vantage by  so  doing. 

An  evil  insinuation  is  one  of  the  deepest  dyes  that  stains  the 
soul.  It  means  a  hint,  a  suggestion  of  something  immoral;  artfully 
introducing  and  instilling  into  the  mind  thoughts  and  ideas  that 
are  wicked;  hinting  imputations  of  an  injurious  nature  without 
making  any  direct  charge;  a  creeping  and  stealing  upon  the  affec- 
tions and  confidence  for  base  purposes.  It  was  by  insinuation  and 
flattery  that  the  Devil  ruined  our  first  parents;  and  there  are  a  good 
many  human  devils  in  the  world  at  the  present  day,  perpetuating 
Satan's  hellish  work,  and  seeking  to  corrupt  innocence  by  instilling 
into  the  minds  of  youth,  through  words,  looks  and  actions,  ideas 
calculated  to  kindle  in  their  hearts  the  fire  of  passion  and  lust. 

I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying  that  all  brunettes  are 
such  characters  as  I  have  been  describing;  but  simply  that  these 
bad  traits  are  more  likely  to  be  found  in  such  persons.  Brunettes 
ftfe  naturally  very  reserved  in  their  character.     By  reserve.  I  mean 


BLONDE. 
The  Round  Form  of  Face. 


BLONDES  AND   BRUNETTES.  55 

backwardness,  coyness,  bashfulness,  cautiousness  and  modesty.  As 
a  ru\e,  a  brunette  will  shrink  from  the  idea  of  having  a  picture  taken 
in  a  low-necked  dress,  unless  she  is  artistically  educated  and  brought 
up  to  dress  in  that  manner;  but  a  blonde  is  not  so  particular,  and 
has  no  scruples  about  the  matter,  unless  she  has  a  very  poor  figure, 
or  is  uncultivated  in  taste  and  intellect. 

Brunettes  are  likewise  reserved  in  character  and  manner.  They 
seem  to  hold  themselves  back,  and  retain  much  of  the  inner  and 
deeper  part  of  their  nature  unrevealed  to  the  world  or  their  ac- 
quaintances. There  is  much  to  study  in  them,  and  it  is  hard  to  find 
out  what  their  real,  hidden  character  is.  And  yet,  in  some  respects, 
they  are  the  most  frank,  open,  free  and  outspoken  persons  in  exist- 
ence. There  is  very  little  of  what  phrenologists  call  secretiveness 
in  their  make-up;  hence  they  are  not  reserved  in  expressing  their 
ideas,  but  speak  out  plainly  and  to  the  point. 

Brunettes  seldom,  if  ever,  resort  to  little,  underhanded,  sharp 
tricks  or  cunning  devices.  When  they  do  play  any  game,  it  is  one 
that  the  victim  will  not  be  apt  to  forget.  There  is  far  more  depth, 
thought,  solidity  and  force  of  character  in  brunettes  than  in  blondes. 
The  affections  in  brunettes  are  more  steady,  constant,  enduring  and 
powerful  in  their  nature  than  in  the  blonde  type.  Once  in  love, 
they  love  the  same  till  the  end  of  life.  There  is  a  sacred,  intense 
and  somewhat  romantic  kind  of  feeling  in  their  love  that  is  found 
in  no  other  class;  and  when  such  individuals  are  in  love,  they  are 
jealous  and  unhappy  if  the  object  of  their  affections  is  not  exclu- 
sively theirs.  This  may  be  true  of  all  persons  to  a  certain  extent, 
but  particularly  is  it  so  with  brunettes. 

A  brunette  girl,  about  ten  years  old,  said  to  me  once,  **When  I 
like  any  person,  I  don't  want  him  to  like  anybody  else." 

The  Jews,  as  a  class,  form  a  good  illustration  of  the  brunette 
type,  and,  although  in  some  respects  they  are  quite  reserved,  in 
others,  they  are  very  free,  communicative  and  sociable,  and  are  a 
happy,  jovial  kind  of  people. 

Blondes  are  deficient  in  strength,  power  and  solidity  of  character. 
There  is  much  lightness  and  frivolity  in  their  nature.  They  seem 
to  see  only  the  sunny  side  of  life,  and  are  always  in  for  a  good  time. 
They  are  very  fond  of  music,  dancing  and  all  kinds  of  pleasures; 
^cncc,  arc  easier  led  astray  than  anj^  Qt^ier  clg^%    T^^Y  ^ave  no. 


56  BLONDES  AND    BRUNETTES. 

taste  for  any  kind  of  strong  intellectual  food;  hence,  do  not  care 
for  philosophical  or  scientific  works  or  studies;  but  have  a  great 
desire  for  h.^^ht  Hterature,  such  as  novels  and  all  kinds  of  fictitious 
and  sentimental  stories.  A  woman  of  this  type  has  little  idea  of 
(ousiness.  or  the  value  of  a  thing,  and  she  likes  to  glide  through  life 
as  easily  a^  possible,  basking  in  mirth  and  pleasure,  Hke  a  butterfly 
in   the   sun. 

The  conscience  of  a  blonde  will  often  stretch  like  a  piece  of 
India-rubber,  and  lying  and  cheating  are  second  nature  to  them.  I 
mean  by  tliese  statements  that  many  little  things  or  points  in  regard 
to  right  and  wrong,  of  a  moral  and  religious  nature,  that  others 
would  have  conscientious  scruples  about,  do  not  trouble  them  in 
the  least.  They  are  quite  liberal-minded  about  amusements,  and 
do  not  believe  in  bemg  persecuted  for  conscience  sake.  Then  they 
have  a  way  of  concealing  th.eir  thoughts  and  shifting  and  evading 
questions  they  do  not  wish  to  answer,  by  lying  directly  or  indirectly. 
1  hey  will  Ukewise  ,nretend  or  assume  to  be  pleasant  and  friendly 
when  they  do  not  mean  it,  and  so  deceive  persons  by  covering  up 
their  thoughts  an  J  feelings  in  every  conceivable  manner  —  will  make 
all  sorts  of  promises  which  they  have  no  idea  of  fulfilling;  in  fact, 
generally  assume  a  character  that  does  not  belong  to  them.  If  they 
are  playing  any  kind  of  game,  they  will  cheat  every  opportunity 
they  have,  and  then  draw  a  face  a  yard  long,  and  declare  positively 
they  did  not. 

Blondes  are  very  fond  of  lively  music,  while  a  brunette  likes 
music  that  goes  to  the  heart,  thrills  and  touches  the  soul — that 
kind  of  music  which  gives  deeper  emotions,  and  carries  one  away 
in  ecstasy.  A  brunette  can  be  exceedingly  good  or  exceedingly 
bad,  and,  when  entirely  given  up  to  wickedness,  has  no  equal  out- 
side of  the  infernal  regions.  But  blondes,  from  the  fact  that  they 
are  light  charactered  and  improperly  balanced  in  their  nature,  are 
more  easily  drawn  into  the  current  of  sin.  Still,  they  do  not  drink 
as  deep  as  brunettes.  The  majority  of  prostitutes  are  blondes  (or 
nearly  so),  not  because  they  are  more  passionate  than  the  other 
class,  but  simply  because  they  are  prone  to  a  merry  and  fast  kind 
of  life,  the  result  of  which  often  leads  them  to  that  condition. 
Another  reason  is  that  there  is  less  of  the  reserved  (and  in  one 
sense,  repelling),  modest  nature  that  is  so  peculiar  to  the  brunettes, 
and  which  makes  therp  harder  to  become  familiar  with;  whereas, 


BLONDES    AND    BRUNETTES.  57 

blondes  are  so  giddy,  thoughtless  and  go-aheadative  in  their  manner 
that  they  seldom  stop  to  think,  reason,  look  ahead,  or  count  the 
cost  of  their  folly. 

Cleanh'ness  is  next  to  Godh'ness,  and  in  this  respect  blondes  set 
a  good  example  to  brunettes,  for  they  are  very  particular  in  having 
everything  around  them  and  about  their  persons  clean;  while  bru- 
nettes are  generally  slovenly,  either  in  person,  dress  or  about  the 
house.  This  is  perhaps  the  chief  reason  why  the  Jews  have  been 
objected  to  in  some  hotels,  because  their  habits  and  manners  about 
the  rooms  or  at  the  meal  tables  have  not  been  orderly  and  tasty. 
The  women  look  very  nice  on  the  street,  but  are  not  so  particular  in 
their  rooms.  I  shall  never  for^^et  a  family  I  met  at  Long  Branch  one 
summer;  the  boys  would  rush  to  the  table, grab  the  victuals,  and  put 
them  down  like  starving  cats.  1  have  no  unkind  feeling  against  the 
jews,  however,  nor  would  1  have  the  public  to  understand  that  the 
better  class  of  Jews  are  like  the  family  I  have  described.  Brunettes 
are  also  apt  to  shut  up  and  screen  the  windows,  so  that  the  rooms 
look  cheerless  and  uninviting — have  the  walls  papered  dark  and 
gloomy-looking.  Hut  bioiuies  will  have  their  rooms  well  lighted 
and  cheerful.  An  architect  will  reveal  much  of  his  character,  taste 
and  love  of  light,  or  indiffcience  about  it,  in  his  designs  and  plans 
for  the  construction  of  a  house,  and  his  manner  of  lighting  and 
ventilating  it.  A  striking  illustration  of  this  fact  can  be  seen  in 
the  interior  arrangement  of  some  hotels  and  public  buildings  in 
contrast  with  others. 

Society  generally  associates  a  bad  temper  with  red  hair.  A 
person  who  has  not  some  kind  of  temper  is  worth  very  little,  either 
to  himself  or  the  world,  because  temper  arises  from  the  same  fac- 
ulties that  impart  propelling  power,  executive  ability  and  force  of 
character.  But  the  kind  of  temper  one  has  arises  m. ore  from  the 
nature  of  the  blood  than  the  faculties.  The  faculties  determine  the 
degree  (or  intensity)  and  durability;  therefore,  red-haired  persons, 
having  so  much  arterial  blood  in  them,  are  naturally  hot-tempered, 
because  hot-blooded,  and  are  hot  in  their  attachments  —  in  fact,  hot 
all  through  and  all  over,  and  somewhat  passionate  and  enthusiastic; 
but  tliey  have  not  so  much  of  that  treacherous,  revengeful,  murder- 
ous disposition  others  have  who  possess  more  of  the  dark,  venous 
blood.  I  remember  a  child  of  delicate  health,  brought  up  under 
strict  religious  training,  but  full  of  that  sickly,  venous  blood,  v/ho 


58  BLONDES  AND  BRUNETTES. 

would  almost  die  with  fits  of  temper,  and  so  hate  her  father  at  times 
that  she  would  wish  him  dead.  The  faculties  will  manifest  them- 
selves according  to  the  nature  of  the  blood.  Red-haired  persons 
are  full  of  vivacity  and  animal  life,  sometimes  boiling  over  with 
ebullitions  of  feeling.  They  are  particularly  adapted  for  (in  fact, 
require)  an  out-door  business,  or  some  calling  that  will  keep  them 
most  of  their  time  in  the  open  air.  Men  of  this  stamp  are  generally 
fond  of  hunting,  fishing  and  field  sports. 

Red-haired  people  are  often  quite  sensitive  in  reference  to  re- 
marks made  about  the  color  of  their  hair.  In  a  hotel  where  I  was 
stopping,  some  one  who  had  heard  me  lecture  and  wanted  to  tease 
one  of  the  servants  who  had  red  hair,  told  her  about  my  remarks 
on  her  color  of  hair,  making  them,  different,  of  course,  from  what  I 
said.  She  was  an  ignorant  Irish  girl,  and  took  it  all  in;  so  the  next 
day  as  I  was  passing  her  on  the  stairway,  she  wanted  to  know  in  a 
serious  tone  of  voice  if  I  said  that  red-heads  had  no  right  to  live. 
And  I  have  often  found  difficulty  in  getting  intelligent  people  o\ 
that  color  of  hair  upon  a  platform,  for  public  examination.  Fine 
red  hair,  with  an  intelligent  and  healthy  countenance,  is  not  to  be 
despised  but  admired,  especially  for  the  good  physical  qualities 
which  it  indicates. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  I  wish  to  remind  the  reader  that  the 
descriptions  given  of  the  blonde,  brunette  and  red-haired  conditions 
are  not  applicable  to  every  person  you  meet,  because  most  persons 
are  combinations  of  two  or  more  condiiions.  For  instance,  a  person 
may  be  partly  blonde  and  brunette,  or  a  mixture  of  the  blonde  and 
red  hair,  which  is  often  the  case.  But  these  suggestions  will  serve 
to  give  you  the  outlines  of  character  belonging  to  these  conditions, 
and  are  intended  to  serve  as  land-marks  or  guide-boards,  by  and 
through  which  the  reader  may  know  how  and  whom  to  investigate 
more  closely  for  him  or  herself. 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 


Cmase  of  Dishonesty — Has  Man  the  power  to  regain  lost  Purity? — Is  there  a  Personal 
Devil? — Adamistic  Sin — A  Principle  of  Phrenology — Relation  of  Mind  and  Body — 
Primary  Cause  of  Disease  and  Sin — Perverted  Faculties — How  to  counteract  Pas- 
•ion  and  form  a  pure  Character — The  Influence  of  Amorous  Thoughts — Definition 
of  Conscience — Its  relation  to  other  Faculties — No  Person  perfectly  Honest — Three 
Prerequisites  to  Honesty — Education  of  the  Conscience:  How  to  do  it — Time  re- 
quired to  Reform  Character — Cause  of  Criminal  Acts — How  to  Determine  a  Person's 
Honesty — Persons  Honest  in  some  things  and  Dishonest  in  others,  and  why  they 
ftre  so — How  to  judge  of  Young  Men  and  Young  Women — How  to  perceive  Sin- 
cerity or  Insincerity  in  others — The  Kind  of  Place  a  Thief  will  Seek — Great  or 
Intellectual  Thieves,  and  Petty  Thieves — How  a  Boy  Thief  stole  a  Pocket-Book — 
The  Man  who  was  Robbed  on  the  Railroad  Cars — Qualification  for  a  Wholesale 
Thief — Policy  Honesty — Genuine  Honesty,  and  the  Principle  it  springs  from — How 
•  Dishonest  Person  acts  in  general  Conduct — The  Policy  Man — Signs  of  Honesty — 
The  Consummation  of  Meanness — Qualification  for  Money-making — How  the  Poor 
can  have  and  maintain  their  Rights — Signs  of  Honesty  and  Dishonesty  in  the 
Countenance — How  Honest  and  Dishonest  Men  act — Selfishness — The  Social  Na- 
ture of  Man  Suffers  through  Dishonesty. 


When  Adam  sinned,  every  faculty  he  possessed  was  affected  by 
the  fall.  That  is,  he  lost  acuteness  of  perception,  brilliancy,  purity, 
and  that  power  which  perfection  alone  can  impart.  His  intellectual, 
moral,  and  social  natures  were  no  longer  perfect.  His  moral  charac- 
ter was  stained,  his  intellect  blunted,  and  his  social  nature  degraded 
Man  has  never  been  able  to  regain  his  lost  condition,  and,  though  I 
have  great  faith  in  human  progress,  I  fail  to  see  how,  or  by  what 
process,  man  can  restore  himself  by  his  present  ability.  The  differ- 
ent kinds  of  sin  and  temptation  are  too  strong  and  numerous  for 
fallen  man  to  resist,  and  he  needs  the  helping  hand  of  his  Creator 
to  lift  him  out  of  the  horrible  pit  into  which  he  has  fallen.  If  every 
man  and  woman  in  the  world  determined  to  give  their  whole  energy 
to  their  physical,  intellectual  and  moral  improvement,  and  if  all 
kinds  of  evil  influences,  temptations,  and  the  Devil  hiinself,  were 
withdrawn  from  man  and  the  world,  and  nothing  but  pure  and 
Divine  influences  operated  upon  man,  such  a  thing  as  man's  regain- 
ing his  lo^t  condition  might  be  possible,  though  still  questionable. 


h.  sneak-thief.  "  A  low  nature,  with  a  large  development  of  the  organ  of  human 
»ature  Observe  the  mean  and  sneaky  expression  of  the  whole  face,  especially  around 
ihe  eyes;  also,  the  peeping,  half-shut  eye. 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 

I  am  aware  that  some  do  not  believe  in  a  personal  Devil,   . 

not  discuss  that  question  here;  but  simply  remark  that  to  conceiv^. 
of  the  existence  of  evil  without  some  fountain-head,  is  like  observ- 
ing an  effect  and  denying  any  cause  of  it.  Cau^e  and  effect  are  in- 
separably connected.  Therefore,  evil  is  the  effect  of  some  cause, 
and  that  causejs  an  intelligent  being  or  spirit.  It  may  be  urged 
that  evil  is  the  effect  of  violated  law.  So  it  is  generally;  but  are  not 
all  laws  made  by  and  for  the  regulation  of  intelligent  beings?  There- 
fore, the  law  was  first  violated  by  some  intelligent  and  accountable 
being,  and  that  being  is  called  Satan. 

There  are  some  persons  who  admit  hereditary  sin.  but  not  sin 
inherited  from  Adam.  Now,  so  far  as  we  know  concerning  the 
human  race,  sin  commenced  with  Adam,  and  it  has  never  been 
eradicated.  And,  as  there  has  been  no  second  perfect  man  and 
woman,  it  still  remains  in  the  human  family;  for  I  wish  the  reader 
to  remember  that  Adamistic  sin  exists  in  the  will  and  soul  more 
than  in  the  body,  though  the  body  suffers  in  consequence  of  it.  Christ 
was  perfect,  but  he  did  not  leave  any  children,  nor  even  marry; 
hence,  if  we  inherit  sin  from  our  parents  and  grand-parents,  they 
inherited  it  in  like  manner,  from  their  ancestors,  and  so  sin  may  be 
traced  back  to  Adam. 

It  always  seemed  to  me  that  many  phrenologists,  authors  and 
lecturers,  who  advocate  physical  perfection,  and  who  regard  it  as 
superior  to  mental  and  religious  influence,  begin  at  the  vvrong  end. 

One  of  the  principles  of  phrenology,  and  what  I  consider  the 
fundamental  principle,  is,  that  mind  molds  and  rules  matter.  Now, 
if  this  be  the  case,  then  the  body  is  just  what  the  mind  makes  it. 
All  physical  disease  comes  from  excessive  or  deficient  exercise  of 
the  faculties  of  the  mJnd,  either  in  the  individual  or  in  his  ances- 
tors. The  body  of  itself  has  no  reason,  choice,  or  will,  not  even 
desire.  It  simply  takes  or  does  what  the  mind  directs.  And  if 
the  mind  was  pure  and  perfect  in  mankind,  their  bodies  would  be 
the  same. 

The  fact  that  I  wish  to  impress  upon  the  reader  is,  that  in  all 
kinds  of  disease  and  sin,  the  mind,  will  or  soul  is  the  primary  cause, 
though  I  admit  the  mind  will  vary  its  manifestations  in  different 
organizations,  and  that  mind  and  body  affect,  act  and  react  upon 
each  other— the  mind,  however,  always  being  the  positive  force, 
and  thg  body  the  negative.    Not  only  has  mm'$  entire  nature  $uf^ 


HONESTY  AKD  DISHONEStf. 

.^  by  the  fall,  but  all  his  faculties  are  liable  and  prone  to  pervef- 
sion  or  abuse. 

Perverted  cautiousness  will  produce  fright,  terror  and  rashness, 
and  do  the  very  thing  it  ought  not  to.  Excessive  amativeness,  or 
love,  leads  to  perversion  and  causes  licentiousness,  sin  and  suffering, 
and  when  soured,  turns  to  hatred  and  jealousy.  Excessive  venera- 
tion leads  to  bigotry  and  religious  intolerance,  and  perverted  wit 
turns  everything  into  ridicule;  perverted  ideality,  or  imagination, 
conceives,  admires  and  pictures  images  in  the  mind  that  are  base 
and  degrading,  rather  than  beautiful,  pure  and  elevating,  and  so 
with  all  the  faculties. 

I  remember  examining  a  young  man  who  had  a  very  large  organ 
of  ideality,  but  his  face  did  not  have  that  pure,  ideal  or  pretty  ex- 
pression that  the  faculty  of  ideality  imparts  to  it.  I  saw  there  was 
something  wrong,  and  placing  my  fingers  on  the  organ  of  amative- 
ness, I  found  it  also  very  large;  so  I  at  once  concluded  he  had  been 
visiting  immoral  shows,  such  as  low  variety  theatres;  and,  when  I 
questioned  him  on  the  subject,  he  admitted  it  was  so.  Thus  one  of 
his  moral  sentiments  had  been  perverted,  and  made  to  imagine  and 
picture  foul  im.ages  for  the  mind  and  memory  through  a  corrupt 
propensity. 

It  is  evident,  then,  that  the  only  way  man  can  cleanse  his  char- 
acter and  control  his  passions,  is  to  commence  with  his  thoughts; 
regulate  and  control  them,  and  you  control  and  mold  the  whole 
character.  Give  no  evil  thought  lodgment  in  your  mind  one  mo- 
ment,  but  banish  it  as  you  would  a  viper,  and  there  will  be  no  dangei 
of  your  becoming  a  victim  of  passion.  But  this  is  easier  said  than 
done,  and  easier  practiced  in  youth  than  at  any  other  time.  Parents 
could  not  instil  into  the  minds  and  hearts  of  their  children  any 
greater  blessing  than  to  teach  them  self-control  by  persuading  them 
to  control  their  thoughts.  Alas!  parents  know  very  little  about 
the  thoughts  of  their  offspring.  They  tell  them  to  do  some  things, 
and  not  to  do  other  things,  but  never  in  a  confiding,  loving  manner 
try  to  ascertain  what  the  current  of  their  thought  is — what  they 
think  about  most;  and  so,  by  continually  thinking  about  some  pet 
idol  or  object  of  their  heart  or  fancy,  the  smoldering  fire  of  passion 
is  kindled,  which  burns  away  slowly,  but  surely,  till  some  day  it 
l&ursts  out  in  full  blaze,  and  consumes  its  victim.  Whereas,  if  those 
l^kked  thoughts  in  youth  had  been  stilled,  the  fire  might  havjp  been 


HONESTY  AND   DISHONESTY.  63 

extinguished,  and  the  darling  saved.  O,  mothers  and  fathers,  you 
think  you  know  all  about  your  children;  but  the  secrets  of  their 
hearts  —  their  unexpressed  thoughts  —  which  are  silently  forming 
their  future  character,  you  know  little  or  nothing  about.  Take 
them  upon  your  knee,  and  in  the  most  affectionate  and  confiding 
manner,  persuade  them  to  tell  you  what  they  think  about  most, 
what  they  love,  and  what  they  have  the  greatest  desire  for.  Do  not 
do  it  in  an  authoritative,  commanding  manner;  you  only  repel  them 
in  that  way.  You  must,  as  it  were,  court  it  out  of  them.  When. 
you  know  their  thoughts  and  desires,  you  know  how  to  train  them. 
But  children  are  generally  left  to  grow  up  and  think  about  what 
they  please,  and,  the  more  evil  they  see  and  come  in  contact  with, 
the  more  they  think  about  it,  and  the  more  they  become  like  it. 
And,  although  they  may  not  do  by  act  what  they  see  others  do, 
they  will  in  thought;  and  finally  thought  urges  them  on  to  evil  acts. 
Secret  thoughts  are  the  medium  through  which  the  Devil  tempts 
mankind,  and  we  give  way  to  them  the  more  readily  because  it  is  a 
species  of  sin  and  imaginary  pleasure  no  other  human  being  knows 
anything  about.  How  many  young  persons  there  are  just  boiling 
over  with  amorous  thoughts  and  desires;  though,  if  you  charge  them 
with  it,  they  would  most  Hkely  deny  it,  because  they  feel  ashamed 
to  own  up.  Now,  these  desires  will  some  day  ripen  into  evil  actions, 
unless  morally  satisfied.  What  is  true  of  amativeness^  is  true  of 
conscientiousness,  that  faculty  which  prom.pts  men  to  do  right,  love 
truth,  justice,  equity  and  honesty.  Conscience  is  not  an  instructor. 
It  does  not  teach  men  what  is  right  or  wrong,  only  so  far  as  it  acts 
in  connection  with  the  intellectual  faculties.  The  intellect  first 
determines  what  is  right,  and  conscience  gives  the  impulse  to  do  it. 
Conscientiousness,  combined  with  veneration,  renders  man  obedient 
to  his  Maker  and  his  laws;  combined  with  inhabitiveness,  it  will 
render  him  obedient  to  the  laws  of  his  country;  and  with  conju- 
gality, will  make  him  true  and  loyal  to  his  marriage  vov/s;  combined 
with  acquisitiveness  and  friendship,  it  v/ill  pay  and  exact  payment 
of  all  bills,  and  discharge  all  business  obligations  in  a  just  and 
straightforward  manner.  But  with  these  conditions  deficient  it  will 
not  do  so.  Hence  the  most  conscientious  man  in  the  world  is  not 
perfectly  honest.  He  will  be  dishonest  in  some  particular.  There 
never  was  a  person  honest  in  every  particular,  since  the  fall  of  Adam. 
When  he  fell,  conscience  fell  with  him.     So  we  find  many  people 


64  HONESTY  AND   DISHONESTY. 

scrupulously  honest  about  some  things,  but  indifferent  about  others, 
and  yet-,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term,  we  call  them  honest. 

Many  persons  appear,  in  the  eyes  of  a  suspicious,  selfish  nian. 
dishonest,  when  \n  purpose  or  intention  they  mean  to  do  ri<;ht 
Whereas,  a  person  may  be  apparently  honest,  but  in  heart  a  regular 
thief  or  swindler.  We  must  look  beyond  and  behind  apparent  hon- 
esty or  dishonesty  for  the  reality. 

Let  us  first  inquire  what  are  the  pre-requisites  to  honesty.  There 
are  three.  The  first  in  order  is  the  organic  quality,  which  is  defined 
in  the  latter  part  of  this  book,  among  the  organs  and  temperaments; 
the  second  is  conscientiousness;  and  the  third  education. 

I  would  not  give  much  for  the  strength  and  durability  of  any 
one's  honesty  who  is  deficient  in  the  organic  quality.  He  is  too 
earthly  and  animal  in  his  nature  to  resist  powerful  temptations. 
He  who  is  deficient  in  conscientiousness  lacks  an  innate  sense  of 
duty  and  obligation,  and  the  motive  power  to  do  a  thing  or  not  to 
do  it. 

Then  conscience  is  not  of  much  use  unless  it  is  educated.  It 
will  allow  a  person  to  do  whatever  education  says  is  right.  The 
heathen  mother  who  throws  her  infant  into  the  river  Ganges  is 
conscientious  in  doing  so;  and  he  who  worships  a  block  of  wood,  or 
any  false  God,  instead  of  his  Maker,  believes  he  is  doing  right.  But 
his  sincerity  does  not  make  it  so. 

Paul  and  the  Jews  thought  they  were  doing  service  for  God  by 
persecuting  his  people.  But  when  Paul's  conscience  became  en- 
lightened, or  better  educated,  he  saw  his  mistake. 

Many  religious  people  have  thought  they  were  doing  right  by 
persecuting  and  putting  to  death  those  who  did  not  believe  as  they 
did.  Just  think  of  the  Spanish  Inquisition  and  the  horrible  instru- 
ments of  torture  that  were  used.  The  conscience  of  those  religious 
tormentors  of  the  dark  ages  was  blinded  by  ignorance,  superstition 
and  intolerance.  Still  I  often  hear  people  say  it  makes  no  difference 
what  you  bcli-e\'e  so  long  as  you  are  sincere.  How  preposterous! 
As  well  say  that  it  will  not  hurt  a  man  to  swallow  poison  if  he  sin- 
cerely believes  it  will  do  him  good.  Guiteau  believed  that  the 
shooting  of  Mr.  Garfield  was  a  political  necessity,  but  other  people 
do  not  think  that  his  belief  justified  the  act,  nor  does  the  law  rec- 
ognize such  excuses.       One  man  may  believe  he  is  doing  right  in 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY.  65 

killing  another,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  but  the  law  and  the  peo- 
ple step  in  and  hang  him  for  carrying  out  his  beh'ef.  Any  person 
with  two  grains  of  common  sense  ought  to  know  that  belief  and 
sincerity  does  not  alter  facts  nor  change  either  mental  or  physical 
laws.  Peter  was  sincere  when  he  defended  Christ  with  his  sword, 
but  his  sincerity  did  not  make  his  act  right,  and  he  was  quickly  told 
to  put  his  sword  into  its  sheath. 

So  I  use  the  word  education  here  as  applied  to  the  faculty  of 
conscientiousness  —  not  the  intellect  merely,  although  the  conscience 
has  to  be  educated  through  the  intellect.  To  be  honest,  and  have 
correct  views  of  right  and  wrong,  one  must  have  these  three  con- 
ditions in  equal  force  and  well  developed. 

Honesty  and  dishonesty  are  partly  the  result  of  proper  or  im- 
proper education,  training  or  influence  brought  to  bear  on  one's 
conscience.  When  children  see  honesty  in  their  parents,  and  are 
taught  to  practice  it,  and  men  and  women  see  honesty  in  others, 
and  learn  to  imitate  it,  that  is  being  educated  to  honesty. 

When  children  grow  up  under  the  influence  of  dishonesty,  and 
are  constantly  made  to  feel  that  to  be  honest  is  a  weakness  rather 
than  a  virtue  —  that  they  cannot  get  rich  by  that  kind  of  policy  — 
they  are  practically  taught  to  be  dishonest.  So  it  is  really  the  ed 
ucation  of  the  faculties  that  determines  their  action  for  good  0, 
evil,  more  than  the  size  of  them. 

Let  two  persons  be  raised  under  similar  circumstances,  havUfg 
precisely  the  same  mental  and  physical  organization,  and  they  will 
think,  feel  and  act  differently,  according  as  their  education  differed. 
All  the  faculties  will  manifest  their  power  in  whatever  way  or  man- 
ner they  are  taught  to  act,  and  they  can  be  taught  and  influenced 
in  any  direction.  Veneration  will  worship  any  God  it  is  taught  to 
worship;  faith  will  believe  anything  it  is  taught  to  believe;  hope 
will  expect  whatever  is  placed  before  it;  language  will  utter 
whatever  words  it  is  familiar  with;  amativeness  will  love  either 
purely  or  sensually;  and  conscientiousness  will  approve  of  any 
act,  whether  right  or  wrong,  if  taught  and  influenced  hy  reason 
or  custom. 

This  kind  of  education  is  not  all  accomplished  in  one  life.  It  is 
hereditary,  and  may  take  generations  to  produce  a  complete  re- 
formation of  character.     Hence  a  notorious  thief,  swindler  or  villain 


66  HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 

is  not  so  entirely  from  the  force,  education  or  circumstances  of  his 
own  life,  but  has  inherited  its  starting  power  or  propensity  from 
one  or  both  of  his  parents. 

People  do  not  become  dishonest  suddenly.  They  go  through  a 
hardening  process.  Even  persons  who  have  borne  an  honest  repu- 
tation all  through  their  previous  life,  up  to  a  certain  period  in  their 
history  when  they  have  committed  some  dishonorable  and  criminal 
act,  have  been  silently  preparing  themselves  to  commit  the  deed 
for  months,  and  sometimes  years,  or  half  a  life-time.  And  this  has 
been  accomplished  by  a  weakening  and  degrading  influence  upon 
The  faculty  of  conscientiousness,  from  the  selfish  or  passional  facul- 
ties, which  has  been  increasing  in  activity  and  growing  stronger  an( 
stronger,  till  it  has  completely  mastered  the  conscience  and  wil; 
So,  in  determining  a  person's  honesty,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  tub 
certain  how  large  that  organ  is,  but  how  large  are  the  selfif;??  /nd 
animal  propensities  —  what  class  or  set  of  faculties  have  the  Z'iCi.nd- 
ancy.  If  the  moral  predominates  over  all  others,  then  honei  i.y  can 
be  relied  upon.  But  if  the  selfish  sentiments  and  animal  pn;pensi- 
ties  control  the  whole  character,  large  conscientiousness  is  liable  to 
give  way  whenever  a  strong  temptation  presents  itself,  thouijh  the 
individual  may  afterwards  repent. 

To  measure  a  person's  honesty,  therefore,  we  require  to  know 
the  strongest  desire  in  his  nature.  It  is  likewise  necessary  to  know 
in  what  way,  and  under  what  influences,  the  faculties  have  been  ex- 
ercised and  educated.  If  it  is  the  gratification  of  passion,  pleasure, 
dress,  taste,  display,  parade,  style  and  ambition,  then  his  honesty  is 
in  great  danger.  But  if  integrity,  fidelity,  purity  of  character,  hos- 
pitality, and  love  of  everything  that  is  noble  and  elevating  are 
uppermost  in  his  mind,  and  constitute  the  chief  aim  of  his  life,  the 
person  is  scarcely  tempted  to  be  dishonest,  much  less  guilty  of  it. 
But  men  differ  in  their  ideas  of  honesty,  and  some  are  very  honest 
about  some  things,  but  dishonest,  or  at  least  indifferent,  about 
others,  which  phrenology  alone  can  explain. 

For  instance,  a  person  having  large  moral  organs,  but  deficient 
acquisitiveness,  would  be  very  sensitive  in  regard  to  general  honesty, 
such  as  relates  to  moral  principle,  intention,  purpose,  motives,  and 
a  sense  of  duty  and  obligation,  but  is  liable  to  be  careless  and  indif- 
fe/  tnt  in  regard  to  business  transactions  and  the  payment  of  bills. 
H  benevolence  was  very  large,  such  a  person  would  probably  give 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY.  6/ 

away  what  belonged  to  another;  and  with  large  veneration,  would 
feel  a  sense  of  guilt  for  the  neglect  of  religious  duty.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  acquisitiveness  was  large  and  the  moral  faculties  only 
average,  the  individual  may  be  very  particular  and  prompt  in  the 
payment  of  bills  and  the  discharge  of  all  business  obligations,  as  far 
as  it  would  be  in  his  power  to  do  so,  and  would  expect  others  to  do 
the  same  with  him  —  but,  at  the  same  time,  dishonest  in  purpose, 
motives,  and  general  principles  of  moral  equity  and  justice,  and  feel- 
ing indifferent  to  Divine  laws  and  religious  ordinances.  And  soon, 
through  man's  mental  nature,  conscience  manifesting  itself  as  it  is 
acted  upon  by  other  faculties  and  combinations. 

Thousands  of  naturally  honest  young  men,  who  occupy  positions 
of  trust  and  responsibility,  become  in  time  dishonest,  because  a 
strong  desire  for  fashionable  life,  with  a  love  for  gambling,  drink  and 
fast  women,  have  made  greater  demands  than  their  salaries  would 
meet,  and  so  led  them  to  rob  their  employers.  1  heard  of  a  bank 
cashier  whose  wife  was  an  actress,  and  wanted  an  expensive  ward- 
robe. His  salary  was  not  sufficient  to  keep  her  dressed  for  the  stage, 
so  he  began  to  steal  from  the  funds  of  the  bank  till  he  finally  be- 
came a  defaulter  to  the  extent  of  about  eighty  thousand  dollars.  Busi- 
ness men, therefore,  in  engaging  help,  instead  of  asking  for  references, 
should  find  out  what  their  largest  faculties  are,  and  their  associations 
in  hfe,and  thuslearn  theirnatural tendencies.  RecommxCndations  are 
not  a  guarantee  of  character;  they  only  show  what  reputation  a  per- 
son bears,  so  far  as  he  is  known,  while  the  hidden  or  concealed  char- 
acter may  not  have  come  to  light,  and  will  not  until  temptation  or 
circumstances  bring  it  out.  Bad  characters,  with  a  little  shrewd- 
ness, can  manage  to  get  good  recommendations  and  give  good 
references.  I  have  had  persons  come  to  me  with  recommendations 
that  were  not  worth  the  paper  they  were  written  on. 

Persons  who  are  constantly  traveling  or  passing  on  the  reputa- 
tion or  recommendations  of  others  —  who  are  continually  referring 
to  some  acquaintance  of  note  and  prominence  in  society  or  business 
circles,  are  not  the  most  trustworthy,  as  they  generally  lack  strength 
and  force  of  character,  and  sometimes  morality.  They  should  be 
kept  at  arm's  length  until  you  thoroughly  know  and  understand 
them. 

When  you  meet  a  young  man  who  is  constantly  boasting  or 
talking  about  his  ancestry,  the  standing  in  society  of  hiis  relatives, 


6S  HONESTY   AND   DISHONESTY. 

and  what  they  are  worth,  or  what  they  have  done,  rest  assured  that 
he  is  building  his  character  upon  a  sandy  foundation.  He  is  of  no 
service  to  himself  or  the  world. 

When  you  meet  a  young  lady  who  is  constantly  talking  about 
and  admiring  the  fashions,  balls,  parties,  amusements  and  light  lit- 
erature, you  may  be  sure  she  has  rooms  to  rent  in  the  upper  story; 
will  never  make  a  good  wife;  will  spend  all  the  money  she  can  lay 
her  hands  on,  and  will  not  be  particular  how  it  is  obtained,  so  long 
as  she  has  the  use  of  it. 

Beware  of  the  individual,  whether  man  or  woman,  who  persist- 
ently, though  gently,  and  sometimes  slowly,  aims  to  ingratiate  him- 
self or  herself  into  your  favor  or  confidence  and  good  will.  They 
seldom  take  advantage  till  they  get  a  favorable  opportunity,  and 
then  they  bite  like  tigers.  I  mean  such  persons  as  make  a  business  of 
forming  intimate  acquaintances  for  selfish  and  base  purposes.  And 
the  reader  must  use  his  or  her  faculty  of  human  nature  to  distinguish 
between  genuine  and  spurious  friendship,  for  these  evil-doers  gen- 
erally accomplish  their  mean  acts  under  the  robe  of  friendship. 

Assumed  friendship  can  generally  be  detected  by  the  way  such 
persons  act.  Their  little  unguarded  actions  will  generally  reveal 
their  true  character  and  expose  their  motives  and  secret  intentions. 

A  person  who  is  sensitive  to  mental  impressions  can  feel  and 
perceive  honesty  and  sincerity  in  others;  and  the  insincerity  of 
persons  will  be  likewise  impressed  upon  his  mind.  Men  having 
large  acquisitiveness  are  not  the  persons  to  trust  with  large  sums 
of  money,  especially  if  secretiveness  is  large  and  the  moral  faculties 
only  full.  They  should  not  be  exposed  to  temptation  unless  closely 
watched.  But  a  man  having  large  conscientiousness  and  the  or- 
ganic quality,  vAih  only  average  acquisitiveness  and  secretiveness, 
may  be  trusted  with  any  amount,  without  any  restraint  or  watching; 
because,  in  the  first  place,  they  have  very  little  love  for  money,  and, 
secondly,  they  are  far  above  dishonesty  in  that  respect.  Their  tastes 
and  aspirations  are  for  something  higher  and  nobler,  and  they  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  seek  public  office  or  position  where  financial  responsi- 
bility is  involved.  The  men  who  seek  fat  public  of^ces  are  generally 
just  the  men  who  ought  not  to  get  them.  The  very  faculties  and 
propensities  that  prompt  them  to  seek  such  offices  are  the  ones  that 
render  them  unfit  for  such  positions  of  trust. 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY.  69 

A  thief  will  always  seek  the  place  that  gives  him  the  most  free- 
dom and  trust,  so  that  he  can  better  exercise  his  thievish  propensi- 
ties. Great  thieves  are  generally  very  intelligent  and  smart  men, 
because  their  animal  propensities  have  brought  the  intellect  into 
subjection,  so  that  the  individual  uses  all  his  intellectual  powers  in 
connection  with  acquisitiveness  and  secretiveness.  Whereas,  the 
selfish  propensities  ought  to  be  in  subjection  to  the  intellect,  and 
impart  to  it  power  and  force.  Intellectual  thieves  do  not  bother 
with  little  things;  they  think,  plan  and  scheme,  and  use  all  their 
physical  powers  to  accomplish  some  grand  swindle  or  public  plunder. 
Petty  thieves  are  less  intellectual;  they  are  ignorant,  but  often  re- 
ceive more  punishment  than  wholesale  thieves,  because  they  have 
not  intellect  enough  to  escape  the  law,  and  do  not  steal  enough  to 
pay  intellectual  lawyers  to  defend  them. 

The  sneak  thief,  however,  is  a  great  annoyance  to  the  public 
and  individuals,  because  it  is  difficult  to  watch  him  or  catch  him.  He 
steals  like  a  cat  —takes  things  behind  your  back  and  when  you  are 
least  expecting  such  a  thing.  Still  there  is  something  in  the  man- 
ner and  actions  of  a  regular  and  promiscuous  thief  (that  is,  one  who 
steals  anywhere  and  everywhere  he  can  find  a  chance)  independent 
of  his  looks,  that  is  sufficient  to  excite  a  person's  suspicion  and  put 
him  on  his  guard.  As  a  rule,  a  thief  is  restless  and  uneasy  in  his 
movements,  especially  if  he  operates  on  the  streets  and  in  public 
places,  because  he  fears  detection  and  arrest,  and  never  knows  the 
moment  an  officer  will  lay  his  hands  on  him;  hence  he  is  in  constant 
fear,  and  in  spite  of  his  effort  to  control  himself  so  as  to  appear  hon- 
est, his  excited  organ  of  cautiousness  makes  him  nervous,  watchful 
and  uneasy  in  his  movements. 

All  thieves  are  forward,  bold  and  venturesome,  prying  into  per- 
sons' affairs,  and  pushing  themselves  into  places  where  they  have  no 
business.  Like  a  young  girl  I  met  in  a  hotel  only  fourteen  years  old. 
As  soon  as  I  saw  her  in  the  parlor  I  concluded  there  was  something 
wrong  about  her.  After  watching  her  a  little  while  I  told  the  pro- 
prietor I  thought  she  was  a  little  fast,  and  would  steal  if  she  got  a 
chance.  Before  she  left  the  house  she  stole  something  out  of  one 
of  the  boarders'  rooms,  and  her  actions  proved  her  to  be  far  from  a 
modest  girl.  She  got  intimate  with  the  chambermaid  and  went 
into  the  various  rooms  when  the  beds  were  being  made  up.  In  that 
w*y  she  had  a  chance  to  see.  what  trinkets  or  jewelry  was  lying 


70 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 


around  on  the  bureaus  or  in  the  drawers.     And  whenever  you  sec 
or  hear  of  any  one  going  into  your  own  or  other  persons'  rooms  in 
their  absence,  unless  there  is  some  particular  reason  for  their  doing 
so,  such  a  person  will  bear  watching.     In  a  boarding  house  1  once 
stopped  at  in  Philadelphia,  two  men  were  having  a  warm  discussion 
at  the  dinner  table.     One  of  them  had  been  in  the  habit  of  going 
into  his  neighbor's  room  and  helping  himself  to  little  things  when 
he  was  absent,  without  saying  anything  about  it.     Nearly  all  thefts, 
robberies  and  burglaries  are  committed  in  a  similar  way.   The  thief 
or  his  accomplice  first  finds  out  where  money  or  goods  are  located, 
makes  a  careful  examination  in  a  sly,  quiet  way  of  the  house  or  store, 
and  the  doors  or  windows  in  it,  then  plans  and  waits  for  a  favorable 
opportunity  to  commit  the  act.    So,  when  you  find  a  man  or  women 
quizzing  you  about  your  private  affairs,  or  carefully  noticing  the 
arrangement  of  your  house  or  store,  look  out  and  be  on  your  guard. 
A  beautiful  woman  once  called  at  my  office  and  wanted  to  know  if 
I  were  not  doing  pretty  well  and  making  lots  of  money.     I  imme- 
diately divined  a  motive  back  of  her  question,  and  told  her  I  man- 
aged to  make  enough  to  pay  for  my  board.     She  left  and  never 
troubled  me  any  more,  but  almost  ruined  a  prominent  lawyer  and 
his  son,  not  by  direct  stealing,  but  by  getting  them  under  her  influ- 
ence  and  power.     There  seems  to  be  no  end  to  the  innumerable 
ways  and   means  dishonest  people  resort  to  in  order  to  get  money 
without  labor,  and  no  matter  whether  they  steal  it  outright  or  get 
it  in  an  indirect  manner,  they  are  all  thieves. 

Never  unnecessarily  show  your  money  in  a  promiscuous  crowd, 
in  a  railway  car,  street  car,  on  a  steamboat,  or  in  any  public  place, 
not  even  in  private  or  in  your  own  house  before  your  servants,  for 
though  your  servants  or  help  may  be  honest,  they  are  poor,  and 
you  thereby  unintentionally  tempt  them,  and  if  they  are  not  honest 
the  temptation  is  all  the  stronger,  and  if  you  do  it  in  a  public  place 
and  there  happens  to  be  a  pickpocket,  you  may  expect  to  loose 
your  money  unless  you  keep  your  hand  on  it.  A  young  lady  in 
Chicago  went  to  the  door  in  answer  to  the  bell,  and  received  from 
a  boy  a  small  bill  for  collection.  While  the  boy  waited  in  the  hall, 
she  went  into  the  parlor  and  got  her  mother's  pocket-book  from  off 
the  mantel-piece,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  boy  took  out  enough 
money  to  pay  the  bill,  and  handed  it  to  him,  leaving  twenty-five  dol- 
lars In  the  book,  then  left  it  oii  the  m»ntel-piece  again,  and  hurried  up 


HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY.  7 1 

staffs.  A  little  while  afterwards  her  mother  wanted  her  pocket-book, 
and  on  looking  for  it  found  it  was  gone.  The  boy  saw  the  money, 
watched  the  young  lady  from  the  steps  replace  it,  then  slipped  in 
and  stole  it  after  she  left  the  rooms. 

There  are  many  persons,  even  in  civilized  society  and  countries, 
whose  moral  sense  is  so  weak  and  the  organic  tone  so  low,  that  they 
look  upon  stealing  more  as  a  business  than  a  crime,  and  to  unnec- 
essarily expose  money  or  jewelry  before  them  is  not  only  a  lack  of 
common  sense,  but  downright  criminal  carelessness  and  thought- 
lessness. An  event  that  will  illustrate  this  point  occurred  at  a  pic- 
nic in  one  of  the  southern  states.  A  vain  mother  had  richly  dressed 
her  seven  year  old  girl  and  decked  her  in  jewels,  among  them 
being  a  costly  diamond  pin.  She  was  left  to  roam  about  the  pic- 
nic grounds  as  she  pleased,  and  finally  wandered  off  to  a  secluded 
place  where  she  was  out  of  sight  of  the  company,  when  a  low-bred 
negro  saw  her  and  the  jewelry  and  robbed  her,  and  then  to  hide  his 
crime  or  identity,  killed  her.  Meanwhile,  the  little  girl  was  missed 
and  searched  for  by  her  father.  Suddenly  he  was  horrified  to  see 
a  muscular  negro  with  the  dead  body  of  his  dear  child  hurrying 
toward  the  river  bank.  A  severe  struggle  ensued  between  the 
father  and  the  murderer  for  the  body  of  the  child,  till  cries  for  help 
brought  others  to  the  rescue,  when  the  negro  was  overpowered, 
and.  according  to  southern  style,  hung  to  a  tree.  Now,  while  every 
rational  person  will  admit  the  criminal  should  have  been  punished 
:by  law  (not  lynch  law),  the  moral  nevertheless  stands  out  bold  that, 
|if  the  parents  of  that  child  had  displayed  more  good  sen«e  and  judg- 
iment  and  hss  vanity,  the  child  would  not  have  5een  robbed,  much 
[less  killed.  A  picnic  ground  is  hardly  the  place  for  the  display  of 
diamonds,  especially  when  children  are  left  to  run  around  unpro- 
tected and  in  danger  of  meeting  all  sorts  of  characters. 

Whenever  you  find  one  or  more  persons  crowding  against  you  in 
my  public  place  or  conveyance,  be  on  your  guard;  that  is  the  time 
:hieves  do  their  work,  and  the  game  they  sometimes  play  to  do  it. 
A.S  in  the  case  of  a  gentleman  who  was  traveling  on  the  cars,  and 
lad  taken  considerable  money  with  him  to  buy  goods  with.  He 
Ifcry  foolishly  displayed  his  money  while  sitting  in  the  car,  and 
tfter  arriving  at  his  destination  when  he  looked  for  his  pocket- 
.j)Ook  it  was  gone;  then  he  remembered  that  just  before  he  left 
jlhc  car  three  or  four  men  crowded  against  him  so  forcibly  that  he 


72  HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTT. 

g^ently  rebuked  them  for  it,  but  never  suspected  their  motive  till  it 

was  too  late. 

A  man  in  whose  brain  the  selfish  and  animal  propensities  are 
predominant,  with  the  intellect  next,  and  plenty  of  vital  stamina, 
and  the  moral  faculties  well  in  subjection,  is  well  qualified  for  a 
wholesale  thief;  he  is  hard  to  catch,  and,  if  caught,  still  harder  to 
punish;  and  how  much  better  is  a  smart,  intelligent  lawyer,  who 
knowingly  defends  a  notorious  thief,  than  the  thief  himself  ?  Petty 
thieves  generally  come  from  the  common  and  low  class  of  society, 
but  defaulters  and  wholesale  thieves  come  from  a  more  respectable 
and  higher  class  of  society. 

The  fact  that  so  many  criminals  go  unpunished,  or  nearly  so, 
shows  that  conscientiousness  in  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  the 
community  too,  is  weak,  or  else  force,  execution  and  courage  arc 
deficient,  or  perhaps  both.  Where  firmness,  conscientiousness, 
combativeness  and  destructiveness  are  large,  criminals  are  apt  to 
get  their  just  deserts;  but  where  benevolence  and  acquisitiveness 
are  large,  and  conscientiousness  only  average  or  full,  criminals  are 
let  off  very  easily. 

Some  are  honest  because  they  think  it  policy  to  be  so;  that  is, 
they  are  not  honest  from  principle  or  the  love  of  it,  but  from  selfish- 
ness, because  it  pays  better;  and,  when  it  don't  pay  them  to  be  hon- 
est, they  pocket  their  conscience,  and  resort  to  policy,  shrewdness, 
trickery  and  underhanded  dealing  —  the  outgrowth  of  secretiveness. 
Such  persons,  though  apparently  honest,  are  thieves  at  heart. 

Honesty  springs  from  that  principle  which  is  loyal  to  truth  and 
righteousness,  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  worldly  policy.  Honesty 
and  policy  are  opposite  terms.  You  can  tell  an  honest  person  by 
his  conversation  and  manner  of  doing  business.  An  honest  man  or 
woman  is  frank,  open-hearted,  outspoken,  free  in  manner  and  the 
expression  of  their  thoughts  and  ideas,  and  in  business  will  show  up 
things,  and  represent  them  just  as  they  are;  will  have  one  price  and 
stick  to  it;  do  not  equivocate  and  hesitate,  and  beat  around  the  bush 
half  an  hour  before  they  can  say  or  do  a  thing;  do  not  act  in  a  mys- 
terious manner,  and  make  enigmas  of  themselves,  nor  become  a 
Chinese  puzzle  to  nearly  every  person  they  become  acquainted  with. 
Such  persons  are  not,  and  can  not  be,  honest  in  motive  and  purpose, 
if  they  are  in  their  actions. 


HOTTESTY   AND  DISHONESTY.  71 

A  dishonest  person  or  one  who  acts  from  mere  policy,  is  cunning, 
evasive,  sly,  double-faced,  snaky,  slow  to  speak  and  express  himself, 
indefinite  in  statement  and  ideas,  restrained  in  manner  or  action, 
draws  a  veil  over  his  whole  character,  assumes  much  external  polite- 
ness, and  even  smiles  on  you  if  he  sees  a  chance  to  make  anything. 
He  seldom,  if  ever,  laughs  heartily,  is  afraid  to  speak  or  act  without 
first  thinking  how  he  will  do  it,  cannot  look  you  steadily  in  the  eye, 
and  will  endeavor  to  throw  you  off  your  guard  by  saying  one  thing 
and  meaning  another;  will  perhaps  say  a  few  things  about  himself, 
in  order  to  draw  out  your  secrets,  but  take  good  care  to  say  noth- 
ing about  himself  which  is  of  any  importance;  will  gain  as  much 
confidence  from  others  as  he  can,  but  retain  his  own;  will  expose 
confidence  placed  in  him,  if  to  his  advantage  to  do  so;  or,  if  he  has 
any  dislike  against  those  who  have  confided  in  him,  will  tattle 
behind  their  backs  or  in  their  absence. 

Trust  no  such  persons,  even  if  they  are  friendly  to  you,  for  their 
hearts  are  as  unreliable  and  changeable  as  the  winds  and  waves.  In 
business  they  always  put  the  best  side  out,  cover  up  defects,  have  a 
price  to  suit  the  buyer  and  not  the  value  of  the  article,  always  make 
the  sharpest  bargain  they  can,  pay- as  little  and  receive  as  much  as 
possible  for  all  kinds  of  merchandise,  sell  some  articles  low  and 
make  up  on  others;  take  advantage  wherever  they  can,  but  never 
give  any,  unless  as  a  bait;  impose  on  persons  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstances; misuse  and  "plunder  those  who  are  financially  in  their 
power,  and  like  a  cat  watching  a  mouse,  try  to  prey  upon  money, 
property,  and  perhaps  a  business  that  some  other  person  has  lab- 
ored hard  to  build  up;  are  vulture-like  and  eagle-like  to  grasp  what- 
ever comes  within  their  reach,  regardless  of  the  rights  and  feelings 
of  others. 

The  policy  man  will  make  goods  out  of  poor  material  and  by 
unskilled  laborers,  and  still  sell  them  for  the  best  price  he  can  get; 
will  put  in  low  contracts  to  secure  a  job,  and  then  slight  the  work 
to  make  money  out  of  it;  will  even  jeopardize  human  life,  erecting 
and  constructing  that  which  is  unsafe,  in  order  to  make  something 
out  of  it.  Policy  has  nothing  to  fear,  lose  or  sacrifice,  but  every- 
thing to  gain  in  whatever  way  and  under  any  circumstances  most 
convenient. 

Policy  is  so  prevalent  and  honesty  so  rare  that  a  genuine  honest 
man  is  often  mistrusted,  suspected,  and  even  arrested,  because  the 


;4  ttONlSSTY  AK&  DtSMONESfY. 

policy  man  Judges  everybody  by  himself.  He  has  never  looked 
through  an  honest  telescope,  and  he  really  does  not  know  how  hon- 
esty looks,  acts  or  manifests  itself.  Many  a  man  often  appears  dis- 
honest in  a  business  point  of  view,  because  he  lacks  definite  or 
distinct  ideas  of  business  or  business  principles.  Business  is  foreign 
to  his  nature.  Especially  is  this  the  case  with  artists,  poets,  liter- 
ary men,  and  those  adapted  to  the  higher  pursuits  of  life. 

A  rogue  at  heart  may  present  an  external  appearance  of  hones- 
ty, while  one  who  is  honest  at  heart  may,  in  some  things,  appear 
dishonest;  and  when  one  person  accuses  another  of  being  dishonest 
without  sufficient  cause  or  evidence,  he  is  generally  the  most  dis- 
honest himself. 

Familiarity  or  intimate  acquaintance  with  an  honest  person 
ripens  into  respect,  but  with  a  policy  person  it  frequently  creates 
contempt. 

Policy  creates  fear,  distrust  and  suspicion  concerning'one's  neigh- 
bors—  makes  men  almost  afraid  of  their  own  brothers,  and  produces 
universal  distrust;  makes  church  members  doubtful  of  each  other's 
piety,  and  society  and  church  organizations  wickedly  jealous  of  each 
other. 

Another  sign  of  honesty  is,  that  when  an  individual  has  done 
wrong  through  temptation  or  any  other  cause,  and  has  become  con- 
vinced of  it,  he  will  repent  and  do  better,  or  restore  what  has  been 
wrongfully  taken,  if  in  his  power  to  do  so,  or  make  just  and  ample 
restitution  for  any  injury  inflicted,  whether  of  a  private,  social  or 
public  nature.  He  who  has  injured  another's  feelings,  will  seek 
reconciliation;  he  who  has  tarnished  his  neighbor's  good  name  will 
aim  to  restore  it  to  its  former  brightness;  and  he  who  has  robbed 
the  public  treasury  will  try  to  pay  it  back. 

It  is  not  so  much  the  actions  that  constitute  the  character  as 
the  motives  that  prompt  the  acts.  Man  would  judge  his  fellow-men 
by  their  actions,  but  Divinity  by  their  motives. 

Acts  and  words  are  not  always  indicative  of  the  hidden  motive. 
If  all  men  were  honest  in  thought,  word  and  deed,  wealth  in  this 
world  would  be  more  equally  distributed.  As  it  is,  there  are  too 
many  human  sharks  ready  to  gobble  up  another  man's  hard-earncw 
wealth  or  self-made  business.  Thev  use  everv  kind  of  force  and 
ivratagem  to  get  from  another  what  they  have  no  claim  upon  for 


HONBSTY  AND   DlbUONEbTV.  75 

the  least  remuneration  possible,  and  then  coolly  inform  their  un- 
suspecting victim  that  the  little  they  have  given  has  been  through 
kindness  and  friendship. 

The  consummation  of  all  meanness  is  for  the  mighty  in  any 
sphere  of  life,  financially,  socially  or  intellectually,  to  oppress  or 
take  advantage  of  the  weak  because  they  have  the  power  to  do  so; 
and  for  those  who  have  risen  in  life  to  kick  those  who  are  falling. 
If  all  men  had  equal  desires  and  ability  to  gain  wealth  and  property, 
all  would  be  equally  rich,  or  at  least  in  about  equal  circumstances; 
but  this  is  not  the  case.  All  have  not  the  desire,  to  say  nothing 
about  the  difference  in  ability.  Some  prefer  to  fill  their  minds  more 
than  their  pockets  —  to  lay  up  mental,  enduring  treasures,  and  to 
become  benefactors  to  their  race,  rather  than  spend  all  their  time 
and  energy  for  selfish  purposes  or  lay  up  a  fortune  to  ruin  their 
children  with.  Better  give  them  a  sound  constitution  and  good 
education,  and  let  them  make  their  own  fortunes,  and  then  they 
will  know  better  how  to  spend  them. 

It  does  not  require  any  great  amount  of  intellect  or  education 
to  make  money.  Intellect  seeks  higher  and  nobler  pursuits  than 
money-making.  Very  often  men  with  little  brains  and  less  educa- 
tion will  make  money  easily,  while  an  intelligent  man  will  almost 
starve;  though  an  intelligent  man  is  the  best  financier,  and,  with 
the  animal  propensities,  can  make  the  most  money. 

When  a  man  gives  his  whole  energy  and  talent  to  money-mak- 
ing, what  is  to  hinder  him  from  doing  it,  especially  if  he  pockets 
his  conscience  and  shaves  everybody  he  can.?  Wealth  is  seldom 
obtained  honestly.  Somebody  has  lost  and  suffered;  for  what  is 
one  man's  gain  is  generally  another's  loss.  I  do  not  say  that  it  can- 
not be  acquired,  to  a  reasonable  extent,  honestly;  but  that  is  the 
exception,  not  the  rule.  When  all  men  rise  to  an  intellectual  and 
moral  level,  we  may  look  for  an  equal  distribution  of  wealth,  but 
not  before. 

No  thoroughly  honest  man — one  who  gives  value  for  all  he  re- 
ceives, and  pays  every  man  according  to  service  rendered,  and  never 
in  any  way  takes  advantage  of  individuals  or  the  public,  can  ever 
amass  millions  upon  miUions  in  the  few  years  allotted  to  human  life. 

The  best  thing  poor  people  can  do  to  maintain  their  rights  is  to 
educate  themselves;  and  by  education,  I  mean  the  culture  of  their 
whole  nature — every  organ  and  faculty  they  possess,  whether  ptiys* 


;6  HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 

ical,  mental,  social,  moral  or  animal;  and  by  animal,  I  do  not  mean 

perverted  animalism,  but  those  animal  propensities  which  make 
men  provide  for  the  wants  of  the  body,  and  give  force  and  execu- 
tiveness  to  their  character — the  very  thing  poor  people  do  not  use, 
unless  it  be  in  quarrelling  and  fighting. 

Men  whose  chief  desire  is  to  be  rich  cannot,  in  the  very  nature 
of  things,  be  honest,  at  least  in  purpose  or  motive.  Therefore,  when 
men  devote  their  whole  souls  to  money-making,  they  proclaim 
themselves  thieves,  because  such  persons  always  want  more  of  this 
world's  goods  than  is  their  proper  share.  They  will  never  be  satis- 
fied. The  more  they  get,  the  stronger  the  passion  grows,  and  their 
thirst  for  wealth  knows  no  bounds — to  them  no  sound  is  so  musical, 
no  sight  so  charming,  as  that  of  money.  So,  when  acquisitiveness 
becomes  abnormal,  conscientious  scruples  give  way,  and  they  arc 
bound,  if  they  can,  to  gain  what  they  desire.  But  what  right  has 
one  to  a  thousand  times  as  much  as  another,  unless  he  gives  an 
equivalent  for  it .''  What  right  has  he  to  devote  his  whole  mind  to 
one  thing  till  he  becomes  insane  on  that  point  .^  —  robbing  his  own 
soul  and  body  of  proper  care  and  provision  —  robbing  his  Maker 
and  society  of  their  claims  upon  him .?  So,  even  if  he  gets  his 
wealth  honestly,  he  is  dishonest  in  other  respects. 

Reader,  would  you  like  to  look  and  feel  and  live  like  an  old 
miser  .^  "  Is  there  anything  noble-looking,  intelligent,  refined  or 
beautiful  in  the  countenance  of  such  a  person  }  Just  the  reverse. 
They  look  like  the  last  rose  of  summer,  which  has  nearly  dried  up. 
They  are  the  most  dilapidated-looking  specimens  of  humanity  one 
wants  to  see,  and  their  souls  are  in  as  bad  a  condition  as  their  bodies. 
They  enjoy  little  or  nothing.  Life  and  nature  are  dead,  or  fast 
asleep,  and  suffering  humanity  may  die  also,  for  all  they  care.  Their 
sense  of  moral  obligation  and  responsibility  has  been  stupefied. 
Stinginess  has  coiled  itself  around  their  hearts  like  a  serpent,  and 
all  noble  desires  and  generous  impulses  have  been  crushed  out. 
Men  cannot  look  healthy,  bright  and  amiable,  except  the  faculties 
are  purely  and  honestly  exercised. 

Honesty  and  dishonesty  hang  out  their  appropriate  signs  upon 
the  countenance,  and  they  are  no  more  ahke  than  darkness  and 
daylight.  Honesty  gives  a  plain,  open,  noble,  speaking  expression. 
Every  look  and  feature  is  one  of  frankness,  and  you  can  seem  to 
^$4  th^  very  thoughts  or  minds  of  such  persons  from  their  couji' 


HONESTY   AND   DISHONESTY.  11 

tenance,  especially  during  conversation.  They  always  look  you 
steadily  and  straightly  in  the  eye,  unless  very  bashful,  and  that  is 
easily  observed.  1  he  faces  of  dishonest  persons  are  ail  riddles. 
The  more  you  look  at  them  and  study  them,  the  more  you  are  puz- 
zled. They  throw  a  vail  over  their  faces  —  do  not  like  to  be  scruti- 
nized closely,  have  a  mean-looking  expression,  a  concealed,  reserved, 
sly  way  with  them  during  conversation  —  look  at  you  by  glances, 
and  not  steadily,  often  have  a  watchful,  restless  appearance — lack 
that  confiding,  trustworthy,  noble  look  so  conspicuous  in  honest  men. 

Honest  persons  speak  the  truth,  tell  you  just  what  they  think 
and  mean,  and  are  free  to  communicate.  Dishonest  persons  evade 
the  truth,  lie,  misrepresent,  are  not  candid,  say  one  thing  and  mean 
another.  If  some  one  they  do  not  like  calls  on  them,  they  will  say 
they  are  delighted  and  happy  to  see  them,  when,  in  their  hearts, 
they  wish  they  had  stayed  away;  or  else  have  their  servants  lie  for 
them,  by  saying  they  are  not  at  home. 

Policy-honesty  is  a  two-faced  thing;  it  makes  fair  promises  and 
pretensions  in  doing  anything,  but  when  the  time  comes,  backs  out 
or  evades  the  matter.  Like  a  man  in  Chicago  who  owned  a  house 
and  lot,  and  had  been  using  a  vacant  lot  adjoining  his,  till  one  day 
the  owner  from  the  East  was  looking  it  up,  and  seeing  the  man  at 
his  gate,  asked  him  whose  lot  it  was.  '*Well,"  said  he,  *'I  do  not 
know  who  the  owner  is,  nor  where  he  lives;  I  have  been  trying  to 
find  out  for  some  time  myself,  as  I  have  been  using  the  ground  and 
want  to  pay  something  for  it,  and  would  like  to  rent  it."  The  stran- 
ger then  informed  him  that  he  was  the  owner  of  it,  but  the  man 
was  not  so  ready  or  anxious  to  pay  anything  for  it  then.  As  long 
as  the  owner  existed  only  in  imagination,  and  remained  in  the  East, 
he  was  willing  to  pay  for  privileges;  but  as  soon  as  he  came  within 
paying  distance,  his  show  of  honest  ardor  cooled  down  and  vanished. 

These  may  be  considered  by  many,  little  and  insignificant  things; 
but,  as  I  have  said  before,  it  is  the  little  acts  that  reveal  the  char- 
acter, and  he  who  will  commit  a  small  sin,  and  consider  it  of  no 
importance,  will  commit  a  greater  one  when  the  opportunity  is 
favorable  and  the  temptation  strong  enough.  That  man  or  woman 
who  will  cheat  and  tell  lies  in  games  of  amusement,  will  do  so  in 
the  higher  game  of  life. 

In  fact,  I  fear  many  persons  become  conspicuously  dishonest, 
^d  sometimes  gamblers,  by  cheating  in  so-called  innocent  garnet^ 


78  HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 

just  for  fun,  and  to  show  how  smart  they  can  be  by  displaying  their 
dishonest  propensities.  It  is  a  regular  school  discipline,  that  fits 
young  people  for  lives  of  dishonesty.  They  may  not  steal,  rob  or 
swindle  persons  out  of  money  or  property,  but  they  will  practice 
deception,  in  their  every-day  life,  in  some  form  or  other,  for  there 
is  no  end  to  ways  in  which  dishonesty  may  be  practiced  without 
rendering  one  amenable  to  the  laws  of  man. 

Honest  people  are  honest  in  all  they  say  and  do,  and  show  it  in 
all  their  actions,  though  they  may  be  more  honest  or  particular 
about  some  things,  which  accord  with  their  tastes,  desires  and  edu- 
cation, than  about  others;  and  when  they  appear  to  be  indifferent 
in  reference  to  some  subjects,  it  is  not  from  any  real  intention  to  be 
so,  but  because  they  do  not  see  and  understand  the  importance,  or 
have  not  a  definite  idea  of  the  matter,  and  so  fail  to  realize  that 
they  are  dishonest. 

The  most  dishonest  people  in  the  world  will  be  honest  in  busi- 
ness transactions  up  to  a  certain  point  or  period;  that  is,  so  far  as 
they  deem  it  essential  to  their  own  interests  to  be  so.  Policy  teaches 
them  t^iUt  they  must  be  honest  in  some  things  and  up  to  a  given 
time;  tnherwise  there  will  be  no  chance  for  them  to  practice  dis- 
honest)'-, and  reap  a  harvest. 

A  thief  in  public  office  may,  through  policy,  be  honest  for  a  long 
time,  till  he  gains  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  community, 
so  that  he  can  make  a  clean  sweep  when  he  does  steal.  An  em- 
ploye will  discharge  his  duties  honorably,  and  take  an  unusual 
interest  in  his  employer's  business,  until  he  thinks  he  has  done  it 
long  enough  to  give  himself  full  play  for  plunder  or  to  take  advantage 
in  some  way,  without  awaking  suspicion  on  the  part  of  his  em- 
ployer. I  once  had  a  man  acting  for  me  as  agent.  I  was  thoroughly 
convinced  in  my  mind  that  he  had  very  little  principle,  and  was  a 
shrewd  dead-beat.  Still,  I  wished  to  prove  positively  whether  my 
impressions  were  correct,  and  so  gave  him  a  fair  chance  to  show 
himself,  taking  care  he  only  went  so  far.  It  only  required  about 
three  weeks  for  him  to  play  his  little,  mean,  dishonest  game.  So 
long  as  he  thought  he  could  make  anything  out  of  me,  he  acted 
about  squarely;  but  when  that  time  ceased,  in  his  estimation,  bis 
true  character  revealed  itself. 

The  moral  to  be  learned  from  this  statement  is,  trust  people  of 
doubtful  honesty  only  as  long  as  you  have  them  in  your  power,  or 


HOMSStV  AND  DISHONEStV.  79 

it  is  policy  for  them  to  be  honest.  Your  judgment,  circumstances 
and  facts,  in  connection  with  a  close  observation  of  their  little  acts 
and  expressions  in  conversation,  must  determine  when  this  day  of 
honesty  is  over  or  drawing  to  a  close. 

Two  men  enter  into  partnership.  One  applies  his  mind  to  work- 
ing up  or  carrying  on  the  business;  the  other  to  studying  how  hf 
can  obtain  the  largest  share  of  the  profits,  or  bounce  his  partner. 
And  yet  the  disloyal  partner  may  make  the  greatest  show  rj 
honesty,  as  far  as  dollars  and  cents  are  concerned,  and  in  general 
business  transactions,  because  it  is  his  business  policy  to  be  remark- 
ably square  on  business  points,  so  that  he  can  better  take  advantage 
of  the  other,  who,  perhaps,  is,  or  has  been,  thoughtlessly  careless 
in  some  things,  especially  when  his  mind  has  been  engaged  in  the 
promotion  of  the  business. 

Honest  persons  are  generally  unsuspecting  of  the  motives  of 
others,  because  suspicion,  relating  to  business  matters,  which  some- 
times arises  from  dishonesty,  is  foreign  to  their  natures.  Not  prac- 
ticing mean  tricks  themselves,  they  do  not  think  of  it,  or  look  for 
it  in  others,  and  on  this  account  they  are  easily  imposed  upon,  and 
are  the  class  from  which  dishonest  men  seek  to  make  gain. 

Honest  people  are  therefore  liable  to  be  imposed  upon,  and,  as 
some  writer  has  said:  "I  could  hardly  feel  much  confidence  in  a 
man  who  had  never  been  imposed  upon,"  because  the  individual 
who  is  never  imposed  upon  must  be  a  sharp,  wary,  suspicious  person. 

Dishonest  persons  are  always  suspicious  of  others,  because  they 
need  watching  themselves,  and  are  therefore  subjects  of  suspicion. 
Be  cautious,  then,  of  the  man  or  woman  who  is  always  suspicious 
of  and  watching  others. 

As  a  rule,  impostors  and  humbugs  are  more  likely  to  impose 
upon  some  person  who  is  not  friendly,  or  who  they  know  suspects 
them,  than  they  are  upon  those  who  use  them  well  and  have  confi- 
dence in  them. 

Individuals  who  conceal  the  truth  and  their  motives  in  business 
transactions,  will  cry  down  and  depreciate  the  value  of  goods,  or  a 
business,  in  order  to  buy  at  the  lowest  figure.  They  say  it  is  naught 
until  they  have  captured  the  prize,  and  then  they  sing  another  tune. 

All  kinds  of  meanness  is  a  species  of  dishonesty.  How  some 
persons  show  the  littleness  of  their  souls  by  their  contemptible, 


8o  HONESTY   AND   DISHONESTY. 

selfish  acts!  And  if  there  is  one  respect  more  than  another  In 
which  religious  people  do  not  allow  Christianity  to  mold  and  renew 
their  characters,  it  is  in  their  individual  peculiarities,  arising  from 
their  selfish  sentiments  and  animal  propensities.  It  makes  one 
appear  small  and  unlovable  in  the  eyes  of  mankind. 

The  selfishness  of  some  people  beggars  all  description.  There 
are  no  words  in  the  vocabulary  of  the  English  language  to  explain 
or  describe  the  ungrateful,  inhuman,  uncivilized,  uncharitable,  dis- 
respectful, sarcastic,  humiliating,  snubbing,  tricky,  and  even  treach- 
erous way  some  people  have  of  treating  each  other,  and  all  for  the 
slightest  offense.  Touch  their  dignity,  their  sensitiveness,  their 
peculiar  notions  and  feelings,  and  they  turn  around  and  treat  you 
as  though  you  were  a  mere  brute,  unworthy  of  human  consideration 
or  notice.  Persons  that  are  properly  educated,  intelligent,  and  of 
good,  honest  disposition  of  heart  and  mind  do  not  act  so.  It  is  a 
freak  of  nature.  Persons  who  have  more  of  the  animal  than  the 
angelic,  or  even  human  nature  about  them,  and  who  commit  such 
disgusting  actions,  which  are  beneath  the  dignity  of  the  true  man 
or  woman,  are  really  to  be  pitied.  They  show  in  their  very  faces 
that  they  are  oddities.  But  there  are  some  who  delight  in  mean- 
ness and  all  kinds  of  tricks  of  a  business,  social  and  moral  nature, 
that  sour  the  disposition  of  those  they  are  practiced  upon.  It  seems 
second  nature  to  such  individuals,  and  nearly  every  act  and  word 
they  express  carries  poison  to  the  soul  or  a  dagger  to  the  heart. 
They  are  spiritual  murderers.  We  hang  the  individual  who  takes 
the  physical  life  of  another,  and  yet,  in  many  instances,  the  murder 
has  been  committed  through  this  kind  of  treatment.  Aggravation 
beyond  endurance  has  been  the  cause  which  actually  tempted  the 
criminal,  perhaps  for  years,  to  commit  the  act,  till  his  feelings  got 
the  better  of  his  judgment. 

On  the  other  hand,  persons  often  murder  through  meanness;  they 
are  annoyed  because  they  cannot  do  just  as  they  please,  and  so 
have  revenge  to  get  even.  The  continual  teasing  and  torment- 
ing of  children  cultivates  a  quarrelsome,  hateful,  revengeful  and 
murderous  disposition. 

Perhaps  no  part  of  man's  nature  is  made  to  suffer  more,  through 
this  kind  of  dishonesty,  than  the  social — such  as  love,  friendship 
and  parental  love.  Many  a  man  has  been  driven  to  a  drunkard's 
grave  through  the  tantalizing  and  unprincipled  actions  of  the  co- 


HONESTY   AND   DISHONJ2STY.  gl 

quette;  and  many  a  woman  has  been  brought  to  shame  and  ruin 
through  the  deceitful  talk  and  artful  propositions  of  some  scoundrel. 
Many  children  have  turned  out  dishonest  to  their  parents,  and  many 
a  friend  has  been  injured,  or  perhaps  ruined,  by  the  one  he  has  be- 
friended—  all  through  dishonesty  of  purpose,  motive  and  actions. 

When  a  ju^y  is  empaneled  to  try  a  criminal,  dishonesty  shows 
itself  in  the  selection  of  the  men,  particularly  as  far  as  the  defense 
is  concerned.  They  reject  all  intelligent  and  honest  men,  and  se- 
lect those  who  are  incapable  of  forming  a  logical  conclusion,  but 
are  mere  dupes,  to  be  molded  to  suit  the  requirements  of  the  case. 

I  remember  a  farmer  calling  at  my  office  one  day,  and  stating 
that  he  had  been  called  on  a  jury  to  try  a  notorious  counterfeiter, 
but  that  the  lawyer  for  the  defense  had  rejected  him,  and  he  did 
not  know  for  what  reason.  He  was  a  man  having  a  fine,  moral,  in- 
telligent and  honest-looking  face;  and  I  at  once  informed  him  that 
he  was  too  intelligent  to  be  on  the  jury  for  that  case,  though  he  was 
really  just  the  man  who  should  have  been  there. 

How  much  justice  can  we  have  in  our  courts,  when  the  jury  are 
selected  from  a  class  of  know-nothings,  and  with  utter  disregard  of 
truth  and  honesty } 

Dishonesty  disregards  all  moral  obligations,  lives  reckless  of  the 
requirements  of  law  and  order,  and  is  unconcerned  regarding  the 
rights  or  interests  of  others. 

I  remember,  a  long  time  ago,  of  driving  past  a  field  of  wheat,, 
and,  seeing  a  cow  in  it,  I  called  to  the  neighbors  living  by  the  side 
of  it  (for  it  extended  to  the  roadside),  and  informed  them  of  the 
fact.  The  reply  I  got  was,  "Oh,  that  is  not  our  wheat;  it  belongs  to 
Mr.  H ."  It  was  quite  evident  to  me  that  they  had  studied  self- 
ishness more  than  moral  philosophy,  or  even  neighborly  generosity^ 
They  certainly  did  not  believe  in  being  their  brother's  keeper. 

Dishonesty  quibbles  in  dealing  or  buying,  tries  hard  to  beat  down 
and  make  a  hard  bargain,  or  get  something  thrown  in  extra —  raises 
all  kinds  of  objections  and  finds  fault  without  just  occasion. 

The  besetting  sins  of  persons  cause  them  to  commit  dishonest 
acts  when  they  wauld  otherwise  be  honest.  Men  having  a  strong 
passion  for  drink,  gambling,  women,  fast  horses,  and  wild  specula- 
tions will  require  considerable  money  to  spend  or  invest,  and  if  their 
salaries  or  incomes  ^e  not  large  enough  to  C[i?et  their  demands^, 


82  HONESTY  AND  DISHONESTY. 

they  resort  to  unfair  means  of  getting  it.  Men  do,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  passion,  what  nothing  could  tempt  them  to  do  when  they 
are  not  thus  influenced. 

For  a  man  or  woman  to  conquer  and  control  a  strong  passion, 
requires  a  great  amount  of  principle  and  indomitable  perseverance. 
The  organs  of  firmness,  conscientiousness,  approbativeness  and  the 
organic  quality  must  be  large. 

Let  me  impress  upon  the  reader  that  honesty  runs  through  man's 
entire  nature — is  not  confined  to  business  transactions,  but  extends 
to  every  act,  thought  and  motive  that  transpires  in  one's  life.  And 
a  truly  honest  man  or  woman  is  the  noblest  type  of  human  nature; 
because,  as  I  have  said  before,  to  be  honest  one  must  have  a  large 
share  of  the  organic  quality  to  lift  him  above  his  animal  nature  and 
surrounding  temptations. 

Honesty  never  misconstrues  another  person's  motives;  never 
misrepresents  statements;  will  relate  things  or  facts  as  it  hears  them 
without  knowingly  or  intentionally  changing  them;  but  dishonesty 
will  add  a  little  to,  or  take  a  little  from,  a  story,  so  as  to  make  the 
thing  appear  in  a  different  light. 

Honesty  will  always  advertise  its  business  in  a  plain,  straight- 
forward manner.  But  dishonesty  resorts  to  many  little  tricks — 
employs  humbugs,  sails  under  false  colors,  makes  liberal  offers,  so 
as  to  draw  people  in,  and  then  takes  advantage  in  some  way  to  make 
up  for  their  liberal  offers;  will  sometimes  misrepresent  their  nation- 
ality, attach  some  foreign  or  high-toned  name  to  an  article  of  mer- 
chandise or  art,  and  call  it  a  new  thing  or  style,  when  it  is  only  g 
modification  of  something  out  of  date.  ^ 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 


ATiat  it  is — What  it  has  done — Original  Sin,  in  what  did  it  consist? — The  Evil  and  Power 
of  Flattery — Its  Poisonous  Effect — The  Fundamental  Principle  of  Sin — Why  Flat 
tery  is  so  frequently  used,  and  by  whom — Two  kinds  of  Flattery — How  Children 
are  Spoiled — Its  Prevalence  in  the  Church — How  Pastors  and  People  are  Injured 
by  it — Man-worship — How  Women  Tempt  their  Pastor — Presentations,  and  what 
they  mean — Self-praise  —  Our  Friends  sometimes  our  worst  Enemies — Criticism 
more  to  be  Desired  than  Flattery — How  Flattery  affects  Females — Other  Forms  of 
Flattery — Persons  who  are  always  Smiling — How  some  Women  are  ruined  by  Flat- 
tery— The  Class  of  Men  who  make  use  of  it — The  Manner  in  which  Public  Persons 
are  Flattered — The  Woman  with  a  Hundred  Dresses — Vanity  of  Servant  Girls — The 
Theater,  its  Influence  upon  the  Mind  for  Good  or  Evil — Powdering,  Painting  and 
Padding  of  the  Human  Form — Artistic  Taste  and  Ability — A  Philadelphia  Woman 
who  wanted  a  Pretty  Picture — What  Persons  mean  when  they  speak  Disparagingly 
of  themselves — Why  People  use  Flattery— Self-flattery — The  Bible  on  Flattery — 
The  Various  Manifestations  of  Approbativeness — Results  of  the  Mortification  of 
this  Organ — The  Woman  who  tried  to  Shoot  her  Son-in-Law — How  a  Young  Lady 
Avenged  herself  of  an  Insult — Cause  of  Retaliation,  and  Incidents  Illustrating  it— 
The  Meanest  kind  of  Meanness — What  a  Woman  is — Her  Weakest  and  Strongest 
Points  of  Character — Why  there  is  need  of  greater  Perfection  in  Female  Character 
— The  late  Prince  Imperial  of  France—The  late  General  Custer — Doctors  and  Viv- 
isection— Manoeuvres  of  Young  Ladies  to  Attract  Attention — Origin  of  Kings  and 
Queens — Vanity  in  School  Commencements — Sunday-school  Concerts — Why  a  Vain 
Girl  hated  Religion — The  Proud.  Haughty  Behavior  of  a  Young  Woman  in  a  Street- 
car— The  Plain  Old  Woman — Conceit — Betting — Misunderstandings  and  Misrepre- 
sentations— Touchy  People — How  Friendship  is  Turned  to  Enmity— How  Conceited 
People  Talk  and  Act — A  Conceited  Doctor — A  Dog  and  Elephant— Conceit  in 
Relation  to  Religion— Two  Convicts — Ingersoii — Long  Trails — Quaker  Ladies- 
Exaggeration— Lying — Historical  Lies — Deception — The  Woman  who  saw  a  (rla^/ 
Stove— Whispering  and  Laughing  in  Public  Gatherings — The  Tell-tale  Dispositioa 
— Troublesome  Kisses-— The  Love  of  Power  and  Authority — Jealousy  in  the  Armj 
— In  Government  Positions — In  Associations  and  Boards — Funeral  Vanity. 


FLATTERY  IS  the  most  ensnaring  art  and  powerful  influence  that 
Satan  can  bring  to  bear  upon  the  human  mind.  It  is  the  great- 
est soul-seducer  in  the  Devil's  catalogue  of  temptations,  because  it 
steals  upon  the  affections  in  the  most  subtle  manner,  and  entwines 
itself  around  the  heart,  secreting  its  deadly  poison  before  the  con- 
fcious  nsLtixTC  of  the  soul  is  aware  of  its  presence.    It  is  so  palatable 


§4  fiAffMM,  co^ctif  Am  fAtnff. 

that  human  nature  will  drink  it  in  like  water.    Through  ft  ftiafi  Is^nt 
his  first  estate,  and  plunged  the  entire  race  into  the  vortex  of  sm. 

In  what  did  the  original  sin  consist,  but,  first,  the  flattering  of 
Eve  into  the  idea  that  she  should  be  as  a  God,  knowing  good  and 
evil;  and,  second,  exciting  her  animal  propensities?  That  is,  the 
Devil  first  aroused  her  vanity,  or  the  selfish,  sentimental  part  of 
her  nature,  (so  sensitive  in,  and  characteristic  of,  women  in  all  ages, 
for  as  Lavater  has  justly  said,  "Pride  and  vanity  are  in  the  natural 
character  of  all  women,")  and  through  that  awakened  desire  in  her 
physical  nature.  A  similar  form  of  temptation  was  brought  to  bear 
upon  Christ.  Satan  first  tempted  his  sentimental  nature,  and,  failing 
in  that,  descended  to  his  animal  nature,  and  was  here  likewise  unsuc- 
cessful, and  so  left  Christ  master  of  the  situation,  and  the  Redeemer 
and  Savior  of  mankind. 

Now,  if  Satan  had  not  considered  flattery  the  most  powerful 
kind  of  temptation,  he  would  not  have  used  it  to  accomplish  the 
ruin  of  man,  and  especially  to  attempt  the  ruin  of  the  Savior. 

The  original  sin,  then,  consisted  in  gratifying  abnormal  or  im- 
proper desires.  Mentally,  the  faculty  of  approbativeness  was  tempt- 
ed, and  physically  the  propensities  which  give  rise  to  appetite  and 
desire.  "Whether  desire  arose  from  amativeness  or  the  appetite  of 
the  stomach,  I  shall  not  discuss  in  this  chapter. 

The  evil  and  power  of  flattery  lie  in  its  hidden  and  unperceived 
nature,  and  in  the  manner  it  is  presented  and  impressed  upon  the 
mind.  No  sin  is  more  agreeable  and  pleasing,  and  none  so  gentle, 
fascinating  and  insinuating  in  its  introduction  to  the  soul.  It  is, 
like  miasma  in  the  air,  unseen,  and  we  are  ignorant  of  its  presence 
till  we  feel  its  effects,  and  hence  it  is  the  more  dangerous.  That 
which  we  can  see,  either  mentally  or  physically,  may  possibly  be 
avoided,  but  that  which  is  silent  and  concealed  from  our  view  is  like 
a  pit  or  precipice  in  the  traveler's  pathway  by  night,  into  or  over 
which  he  will  most  certainly  fall.  There  is  no  kind  of  sin  poor  hu- 
man nature  is  so  unable  to  resist,  and  to  which  it  so  easily  succumbs, 
as  flattery.  It  can  bear  all  manner  of  abuse  and  evil  treatment,  but 
praise  it  cannot  endure.  Under  its  softening  influence,  it  weakens 
and  melts  away  like  butter  and  ice  on  a  hot  day. 

Nothing  will  spoil  men,  women  or  children  quicker  than    Jl/yf^^ 
tion;  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  world  people  seek  and 
more  liberally. 


fhAfftKY,  C6l9Ctn  ANt)  VANIft.  Ij 

What  poison  in  the  air  Is  to  the  body,  flattery  is  to  the  soul. 

If  an  individual  was  about  to  take  poison,  and  two  kinds  were 
presented  for  his  use  —  one  sweet,  the  other  bitter— he  would  nat- 
urally take  the  sweet.  Flattery  is  the  sweetest  poison  the  soul  can 
take,  and  because  of  its  sweetness,  people  forget  it  is  a  poison;  but 
poison  taken  with  honey  is  just  as  destructive  to  life  as  though  it 
was  taken  with  sour  grapes. 

How  strange  that  people,  young  and  old,  do  not  wake  up  to  the 
soul-corrupting  influence  of  flattery!  Alas!  there  are  plenty  of 
Edens  in  the  world  at  the  present  day.  Thousands  of  persons  will 
sell  the  birthright  o(  their  souls  for  a  mess  of  flattery.  The  funda- 
mental principle  of  sin  is  two-fold  —  external  and  internal.  Exter- 
nal sin  is  flattery;  internal  sin  is  selfishness.  Satan  awakened  the 
selfishness  of  our  first  parents  by  flattering  them.  Thus  there  was 
an  external  force  acting  upon  an  internal.  And  this  is  precisely 
the  plan  adopted  by  men  from  the  beginning  till  the  present  time. 
Whenever  one  individual  wishes  a  favor  from  another,  or  endeavors 
to  get  some  desire  satisfied,  and  it  is  necessary  to  tempt  them  in 
some  manner,  they  generally  appeal  to  their  selfish  propensities 
through  some  sort  of  flattery.  Thus  flattery  is  the  connecting  link 
or  means  by  which  the  selfishness  of  one  person  acts  upon  the 
selfishness  of  another. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  flattery — direct  and  indirect.  That 
which  is  direct  may  be  observed;  but  indirect  flattery  is  concealed, 
obscure,  beyond  the  sight  of  ordinary  perception.  The  majority  of 
people  look  upon  flattery  as  an  innocent  thing,  because  they  fail  to 
see  the  evil  that  lies  behind  it;  and  the  most  moral  and  religious 
classes  of  society  are  the  very  ones  who  practice  it  to  the  greatest 
extent.  It  is  really  their  besetting  sin,  though  they  appear  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  fact.  Let  a  noted  sinner,  such  as  a  drunkard  or 
criminal,  be  converted  and  join  the  church,  and  if  he  has  the  organ 
of  approbativeness  large  he  will  take  great  delight  forever  afterward 
in  telling  the  congregation,  whenever  he  has  an  opportunity,  what 
a  wicked  man  he  used  to  be,  and  refer  to  some  of  his  special  sins 
as  a  contrast  to  what  he  now  is.  He  does  it  as  he  says  to  show 
the  power,  goodness  and  grace  of  God;  but,  in  reality,  he  is  calling 
attention  to  himself  more  than  to  the  Lord.  And  that  seems  to 
be  the  tendency  with  one  religious  class  of  people  now-a-days,  to 
|pleai€  tfecmgelves  more  than  the  Lord,  for  they  make  their  worsWp 


g6  FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AHD  VANITT. 

a  sort  of  religious  entertainment.  So  in  Bible-classes  and  class- 
meetings,  it  is  a  common  thing  to  find  the  leader  flattering  two  or 
three  favorites  by  constantly  alluding  to  them,  or  personally  ad- 
dressing them,  and  they  always  have  a  selfish  motive  lurking  in 
their  hearts  for  so  doing.  They  practice  it  so  much  that  it  becomes 
second  nature  to  them,  and  their  familiarity  with  it  blinds  their 
judgment  to  its  injurious  effects.  The  disposition  to  receive  flat- 
tery is  generally  stronger  than  the  inclination  to  give  it;  hence 
many  persons  will  flatter  others  for  the  purpose  of  being  flattered 
themselves  in  return. 

How  frequently  we  meet  individuals  who  seem  to  feed  and  live 
on  flattery,  and  they  regard  those  who  do  not  constantly  praise 
them  as  being  unfriendly.  They  are  miserable  if  they  are  not  the 
pets  and  favored  ones  of  the  family  circle,  church,  society,  clique, 
political  party,  profession,  or  any  class  or  sphere  to  which  they  be- 
long. It  is  too  often  the  case  that,  in  religious  meetings,  a  few  of 
the  leading  or  more  active  members  are  in  the  habit  of  doing  most 
of  the  talking  by  having  their  say  every  night.  A.  will  make  pleas- 
ing comments  on  the  thoughts  suggested  by  B.;  then,  when  B.  rises 
to  speak,  he  will  return  the  compliment  to  A.;  and  so  they  make  a 
business  of  tickling  or  exciting  each  other's  vanity,  and  when  the 
meeting  is  over,  congratulate  each  other  on  having  such  a  splendid 
prayer-meeting,  when,  in  reality,  it  has  been  a  mutual  admiration 
and  praise  meeting.     I  has  been  in  the  first  person,  then  Brother 

in  the  second  person,  while  the  Lord  and  some  poor  strangers 

in  the  back  seat  have  been  in  the  third  person,  by  way  of  consider- 
ation. But  let  it  be  known  that  a  stranger  is  wealthy,  or  holds 
some  prominent  position,  and  it  is  astonishing  how  many  are  anx- 
ious to  shake  hands  with  him,  how  glad  they  are  to  see  and  welcome 
him,  and  how  much  they  are  interested  in  his  welfare  and  his  family 
and  his  wife,  if  he  has  one,  and  if  he  has  not,  there  are  plenty  of 
virgins,  more  foolish  than  wise,  to  relieve  him  of  single-blessedness. 
In  fact,  these  accommodating  creatures  have  been  waiting  a  long 
time,  and  have  been  constantly  on  the  look-out,  and  when  a  new- 
comer arrives  all  the  virgins  in  the  church  are  in  a  flutter,  on  the 
tip-toe  of  expectation;  and  the  lucky  one  feels  something  like  her 
mother  Eve  when  she  received  her  first-born.  I  consider  flattery 
one  of  the  worst  evils  in  church  society. 

Ministers  praise  the  people  for  their  liberality,  so  as  to  get  twice 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  87 

as  much  out  of  them  and  retain  their  good-will,  and  the  people 
praise  and  laud  their  pastor  to  the  very  heavens,  till  they  make  him 
a  spoiled  child,  puffed  up  with  vanity  and  self-importance.  And 
the  result  of  it  all  is  that  both  pastor  and  people  become  cold  and 
indifferent  toward  those  members  who  are  not  given  to  the  same 
kind  of  blarney.  In  order  to  become  popular  in  a  fashionable  or 
prominent  city  church,  it  is  not  so  necessary  to  be  pious  as  to  talk 
sweetly  and  give  liberally.  Nothing  will  make  a  member  unpopu- 
lar quicker  than  to  be  an  independent  thinKer,  and  utter  a  few 
words  of  criticism  and  condemnation  against  any  folly  or  evil  exist- 
ing in  the  church.  He  may  pitch  into  sinners  and  outside  corpo- 
rations to  his  heart's  content,  but  he  must  be  a  deaf  mute  in  the 
saintly  vineyard  to  which  he  belongs. 

Now  one  would  think  a  people  professing  to  be  the  followers  of 
him  who  loved  holiness  would  be  anxious  to  know  and  remedy  any 
besetting  sin  they  may  have.  But  their  desire  for  flattery  says, 
"No,  we  will  not  be  rebuked  or  chastised;"  and  so,  like  the  ostrich, 
they  put  their  heads  under  their  wings,  imagining  they  are  safe, 
while  the  enemy  steals  upon  them. 

There  are  plenty  of  pastors  and  churches  who  have  gone  down 
by  being  blind  to  their  own  faults,  and  seeking  to  cover  up,  conceal 
and  inwardly  cherish  their  own  weaknesses — saying  to  themselves 
and  the  world, "  We  are  a  great  people,"  when  the  seeds  of  moral  cor- 
ruption were  fast  springing  up  and  choking  their  Christian  vitality. 

It  is  a  sad  thing  when  one  or  more  individuals  are  so  conceited 
that  they  cannot  see  their  own  imperfections.  But  it  is  a  sadder 
thing  when  they  object  to  another  person  bringing  to  light  and  ex- 
posing to  ^heir  view  that  which  is  of  the  greatest  benefit  for  them 
to  know.  To  be  accidentally  blind  calls  for  pity;  but  to  be  wilfully 
blind  is  deserving  of  scorn  and  condemnation.  Many  of  the  errors 
in  the  teachings  ot  the  church  are  due  to  the  exaggeration  of  Scrip- 
tural truth  and  doctrine  through  an  excess  of  the  organ  of  appro- 
bativeness,  which  gives  rise  to  the  spirit  of  flattery  and  conceit,  and 
makes  Christians  boast,  magnify  and  add  more  to  the  meaning  of 
a  passage  than  the  original  text  implies. 

There  is  so  much  man-worship  existing  in  churches  that  it  is 
scarcely  to  be  wondered  at  that  some  ministers  lose  their  prestige, 
and  occasionally  do  things  inconsistent  with  their  calling.  The 
only  wonder  is  that  so  many  of  them  bear  the  intoxicating  influence 


??  FLATTERY,    CONCEIT   AND   VANITY. 

of  flattery  so  well  as  they  do,  without  showing  any  signs  of  mental 
derangement.  It  is  not  uncommon,  in  a  prayer-meeting,  to  hear 
nearly  every  one  who  speaks  allude,  in  a  complimentary  way,  to 
what  the  pastor  has  said  or  done.  In  fact,  they  seem  to  put  him 
in  the  place  of  Christ  about  as  much  as  the  Roman  Catholics  do  the 
Virgin  Mary.  Thus  every  minister  becomes  a  sort  of  Pope  or 
priest  among  his  people,  and  the  members  are  expected  to  conform 
to  his  ideas  or  desires,  and  some  of  these  exalted  lords  will  even  go 
so  far  as  to  think  for  their  obedient  dupes.  This  just  suits  a  large 
class  of  members,  because  they  are  actually  too  lazy  to  think  for 
themselves,  and  will  readily  pin  their  faith  to  any  man  who  will 
think  for  them. 

Every  true  minister  of  the  Gospel  should  receive  due  reverence 
and  respect;  but  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  reverence  becomes 
idolatry,  and  many  women,  in  their  admiration  and  devotion,  seem 
to  forget  that  a  minister  is  human,  and  they  frequently  become  so 
demonstrative  in  their  zeal  and  affection  that  it  is. enough  to  stag- 
ger the  rectitude  and  tempt  the  animal  propensities  of  any  man,  no 
matter  how  rich  in  piety  or  honest  in  m.otive  he  may  be.  A  min- 
ister in  conversation  with  a  friend  on  one  occasion,  stated  that 
some  of  the  young  female  converts  would  come  to  him,  during  their 
religious  excitement,  and  sit  on  his  knee,  and  throw  their  arms 
around  him,  and  hug  him  like  a  father.  But  I  fear  there  are  very 
few  ministers  who  could  bear  that  sort  of  thing  like  a  father.  The 
cause  of  such  outbursts  of  feeling  arises. from  persons  allowing  their 
emotional  and  love  natures  to  get  excited  as  well  as  their  religious 
faculties;  hence  their  feelings  get  the  better  of  their  judgment. 
The  reader  must  not  infer,  however,  that  such  demonstrations  of 
feeling,  on  the  part  of  young  lady  converts,  were  mere  amative  feel- 
ing. It  was  rather  the  outburst  of  religious  fervor  toward  one 
whom  they  highly  reverenced  as  a  religious  teacher  and  adviser, 
but  not  as  a  man.  Still,  such  actions  are  rash,  and  calculated  to 
excite  amativeness  in  one  or  both  parties.  There  is  some  excuse, 
however,  for  young  persons  who  act  thus;  but  for  the  married  wom- 
en, and  those  much  advanced  in  life,  to  practice  their  fascinating, 
beguiling,  smooth-talking  and  flattering  arts  on  their  unsuspecting 
pastor  is  to  love  their  neighbor  a  little  more  than  their  Bible  re- 
quests them  to  do,  and  is  sometimes  the  beginning  of  domestic 
troubles  in  one  or  more  families  of  the  flock. 


FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND   VANITY.  Sf 

What  is  this  presentation  business,  so  extensively  indulged  in 
all  over  Christendom,  but  anotlier  form  of  flattery?  Frequently 
these  presents  are  bought  by  subscriptions  from  the  leading  mem- 
bers, or  those  vvlio  most  admire  or  are  most  intimate  with  the  pas- 
tor. Consequently  these  parties  expect  and  receive  more  visits 
and  sunny  smiles  than  the  other  members  who  did  not  contribute, 
because  they  were  either  not  able  or  were  not  asked  to  do  so.  It  is 
ev.deiit,  then,  that  there  is  much  selfishness  mixed  up  with  the 
motive  that  prompts  a  large  number  of  presentations.  There  are 
plenty  of  persons  connected  with  churches  who  give  largely,  either 
to  be  praised  and  considered  liberal  and  become  the  leading  spirit 
in  the  church,  or  else  through  business  policy,  just  in  the  same  way 
as  many  men  are  honest  —  not  because  they  love  equity  and  up- 
rightness, but  because  they  think  it  pays  to  be  honest,  or  appar- 
ently so,  in  business  transactions.  Paul  says,  "Though  I  give  my 
body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing;" 
—  clearly  indicating  that  one  may  be  liberal  in  bestowing  gifts  for 
religious  purposes  without  any  love  for  the  object  to  which  he  gives; 
and.  as  a  rule,  men  expect  an  equivalent  of  some  kind  for  what  they 
give.  He  who  makes  a  present  to  another  expects  in  return  the 
j^O(Kl-will,  esteem  or  affection  of  the  receiver;  a^d  he  who  gives  to 
any  benevolent  religious  object  expects  its  value  in  popularity  or 
business. 

The  spirit  of  self-praise,  in  some  churches,  is  very  strong.  The 
sums  of  money  they  have  given  to  religious  enterprises  during  the 
year  is  compared  with  that  of  others,  and  they  delight  in  and  boast 
of  raising  the  largest  contributions.  If  they  are  raising  money  for 
a  special  purpose,  say  the  enlarging  or  building  of  a  new  edifice, 
there  is  sometimes  a  roll  of  honor  made  on  which  are  written,  to 
be  preserved,  the  names  of  the  givers,  and  how  much  they  gave; 
that,  of  course,  excites  ambition  and  vanity,  and  as  a  result  parents 
not  only  put  down  their  own  names  and  subscriptions,  but  those  of 
their  children  also,  and  they  will  even  go  so  far  as  to  put  down  the 
names  of  their  dead  children  and  attach  a  subscription  opposite. 
Such  performances  are  really  the  outgrowth  of  a  morbid  state  of 
the  moral  and  selfish  sentiments,  and  the  only  good  if  it  can  be 
called  good  that  results  from  it,  is  the  raising  of  a  few  extra  dollars. 
The  great  work  they  are  doing  seems  to  be  upon  the  lips  of  every 
active  member,  and  they  glory  in  spreading  the  fame  of  the  church, 


90  FLATTERY.   CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 

forgetting  the  injunction  of  the  Scriptures,  "Let  not  your  right 
hand  know  what  your  left  hand  doeth,"  or  "Let  the  lips  of  another 
praise  tliee."  It  appears  to  me  that  people  should  give  or  be  influ- 
enced to  give  to  religious  objects  through  a  feeling  of  love  and 
principle,  and  that  the  roll  of  honor  business  is  a  base,  unchristian 
and  demoralizing  method  of  raising  money. 

There  is  a  species  of  flattery  peculiar  to  the  church,  and  another 
peculiar  to  the  world.  The  latter  kind  is  sought  and  given  by  all 
classes,  from  Bridget  in  the  kitchen,  to  the  head  of  the  nation 
There  is  probably  nothing  else  so  sweet  and  inspiring  to  the  former 
as  a  little  flattery.  Colored  persons  are  likewise  very  sensitive  to 
praise.     They  appreciate  it  next  to  a  good,  hearty  meal. 

Many  are  the  individuals  whose  eyes  will  brighten  up  and  sparkle 
like  diamonds  when  flattering  comments  fall  upon  their  ears;  where- 
as severe  criticism  and  censure  call  forth  the  expression  of  indigna- 
tion and  hate. 

It  frequently  happens  that  our  friends  are,  in  some  respects,  our 
worst  enemies,  because,  being  somewhat  blind  to  our  faults,  they 
fail  to  point  them  out,  or  else  will  not  do  it  for  fear  of  injuring  our 
feelings.  Then  the  kind  treatment  and  words  of  praise  from  friends 
cause  us  to  over-estimate  ourselves,  and  thereby  prevent  us  from 
perceiving  and  remedying  our  weaknesses,  imperfections  and  off*en- 
sive  faults;  whereas  our  enemies  are  not  slow  in  pointing  them  out 
They  hold  us  up,  as  it  were,  in  a  mirror,  so  that  we  can  see  ourselves 
as  others  see  us. 

Thus  flattery  deceives  and  holds  us  back,  while  criticism  pre- 
sents the  plain,  naked  truth,  gives  us  a  better  and  more  correct 
notion  of  ourselves,  brings  out  the  latent  energy  within  us,  and 
prepares  us  for  a  greater  and  more  useful  sphere  of  labor.  I  hav^e 
known  persons,  in  literary  or  mutual  improvement  societies,  to 
crave  flattery,  while  positively  refusing  to  be  criticised.  With  such 
individuals,  knowledge  will  be  very  limited.  They  will  never  make 
any  progress  beyond  a  certain  point.  They  prefer  to  say  or  read 
something  funny,  that  will  excite  the  faculty  of  mirthfulness  in 
others,  and  then  take  their  seat  amid  the  clapping  of  hands;  but  arc 
too  narrow-minded  and  conceited  to  allow  any  one  to  point  out 
their  mistakes  or  show  them  wherein  they  might  have  been  more 
successful. 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANIT?.  gt 

There  is  no  better  schooling  for  a  person  than  severe  and  cor- 
rect criticism  (I  do  not  mean  sarcastic  criticism,  though  that  is 
better  than  none),  however  unpleasant  and  lacerating  it  may  be  to 
the  feelings.  And  those  persons  who  are  the  most  sensitive  to  it, 
are  the  very  ones  who  most  need  it,  because,  being  so  sensitive  and 
opposed  to  criticism,  they  are  more  susceptible  to  the  injurious  in- 
fluence of  flattery.  I  suppose  one  reason  why  the  evils  of  flattery 
are  not  more  generally  recognized  is  because  it  is  instilled  into  the 
mind  in  the  innocent  days  of  childhood,  and  hence  forms  a  part  of 
one's  education.  When  visiting  a  school  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  I  was 
invited  by  the  courteous  president  into  one  of  the  class-rooms  to 
witness  and  hear  an  improved  or  new  method  of  teaching  French  to 
children.  The  parents  and  friends  of  the  little  folks  were  there 
also,  and  the  lesson  was  somewhat  in  the  form  of  an  examination  tQ 
show  the  parents  what  the  children  had  learned  in  a  certain  time. 
Most  of  the  children  were  dressed  plain,  but  one  in  particular  sat  in 
the  front  seat  dressed  up  like  a  doll.  They  had  been  taught  chiefly 
the  names  of  certain  things  that  they  had  on  them  about  them  or 
in  the  room,  and  so  when  the  name  of  a  certain  thing  was  given 
they  would  go  and  point  it  out.  When  the  little  dressy  girl's  turn 
came  she  was  given  the  word  doll  in  French,  and  immediately 
stepped  over  to  the  table  and  picked  up  her  doll,  almost  as  large  as 
herself,  said  two  or  three  words  in  French  and  laid  it  down.  As 
soon  as  she  was  through,  two  large  bouquets  were  presented  to  her, 
sent  in,  I  suppose,  by  her  friends,  because  the  other  children  who 
were  plainer  in  dress  but  smarter  in  intellect  received  nothing. 
There  was  a  pause  and  a  moment  of  sensation  as  the  doll  girl  re- 
ceived her  beautiful  flowers  and  took  her  seat.  I  watched  the 
countenances  of  the  other  children  and  felt  pained  and  provoked 
myself,  as  I  saw  the  sad,  disappointed,  and  even  mortified  expression 
steal  over  the  faces  of  a  number  of  the  others,  and  thought  to  my- 
self that  is  one  way  of  educating  children  to  be  vain  and  to  crave 
for  finery  rather  than  knowledge.  We  see  it  again  in  the  family 
home.  Little  Miss  Precocious  is  the  pet  of  the  family,  and  is  soon 
taught  to  believe  that  she  is  a  being  of  some  importance  and  worthy 
of  special  notice;  hence  vanity  sits  enthroned,  governs  her  whole 
conduct,  and  she  is  a  spoiled  child  before  she  is  fifteen  years  of  age^ 
She  is  quick  to  learn  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  and  receives 
maay  compliments  for  her  ability  and  rapid  improvement.    Her 


0  ftAffMY,  eomtn  Afw  vamtt. 

mamma  makes  her  the  subject  of  conversation  with  every  acquaint- 
ance who  calls,  and  some  who  hear  her  play  or  sing  are  so  generous 
with  their  compliments  that  the  child  begins  to  think  she  is  but  a 
little  lower  than  the  angels  in  Heaven  she  has  been  singing  about. 
Let  us,  in  imagination,  visit  another  family.  Here  is  another  little 
miss,  who  is  remarkable  for  her  beauty  and  graceful  manners.  Her 
parents  are  fond  of  her;  she  is  not  long  in  observing  this,  and  soon 
becomes  affected  in  the  same  manner.  She  has  many  admirers,  who 
are  profuse  in  their  expressions  of  esteem.  She  is  the  recipient  of 
many  favors  and  much  attention,  which  others  less  handsome  are 
not  fortunate  enough  to  receive  —  though  they  may  be  thankful  they 
do  not.  The  vanity  of  her  parents  knows  no  bounds.  She  is  in- 
dulged to  excess,  allowed  to  have  her  own  way,  and  educated  or 
trained  for  a  fashionable  life.  She  has  one  object  in  view  that 
towers  above,  all  others.  It  occupies  her  thoughts  even  more  than 
the  marriage  altar.  She  must  be  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  at 
every  ball  or  party  —  the  belle  of  the  city  and  the  diamond  queen  of 
society.  Such  a  woman  appreciates  and  measures  men  according 
to  their  wealth  and  the  amount  of  flattery  they  have  to  bestow. 
Those  whose  lips  do  not  extol  her  charms  she  does  not  like,  and 
those  who  cannot  pay  extravagant  bills  she  has  no  use  for.  She  is 
a  mere  butterfly,  who  can  only  live  in  the  warm,  congenial  sun  of 
prosperity  and  pleasure.  She  is  a  sort  of  sunflower,  who  turns  her 
head  in  whatever  direction  the  attraction  of  fashion  may  be.  She 
is  like  unto  some  of  our  garden  flowers,  beautiful  to  look  upon,  but 
having  no  fragrance;  and  like  some  of  our  birds  of  beautiful  plumage 
which  are  poor  singers.  When  she  passes  from  society,  her  name  is 
forgotten,  and  the  glory  of  her  youth  has  faded  forever.  She  was 
simply  a  thing  of  physical  beauty  —  only  that  and  nothing  more. 
She  might  have  been  beautiful  in  mind  as  well  as  form;  but  she 
yielded  to  the  corrupting  influence  of  flattery,  and  that  ruined  her. 
Flattery  in  her  own  heart,  flattery  from  friends,  and  the  flattery  of 
false  appearances,  all  entwined  around  her  soul,  and  crushed  out 
the  very  essence  of  a  noble  life.  And  what  is  true,  in  this  respect, 
of  a  woman  is  likewise  true  of  a  man. 

But  suppose  misfortune  to  overtake  one  of  these  fair,  vain  crea- 
tures called  women;  or  if,  perchance,  she  is  married,  and  her  hus- 
band's income  is  not  large  enough  to  support  her  reckless  style  of 
living;  what  will,  or  docs,  such  a  woman  do?    One  of  two  things— 


Either  steal,  or  prostitute  her  person.  1  know  these  are  two  strong 
words  to  use;  but,  as  I  do  not  beh'eve  In  ilattery,  I  propose  to  call 
things  by  their  right  names.  The  first  thing  she  will  do  will  be  to 
tax  her  feminine  ingenuity,  which  is  a  peculiar  gift  of  women,  to  see 
if  she  cannot  devise  some  way  or  means  of  obtaining  more  money, 
which  she  can  generally  do  if  her  husband  occupies  a  place  of  trust 
and  influence  in  society.  She  may  not  (in  fact,  does  not)  steal  in  a 
direct  manner  herself,  but  she  will  be  the  instigator  of  a  plan  or 
scheme  by  which  her  husband,  or  some  other  person,  would  steal 
for  her,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  But  if  she  fails  to  raise  money 
in  some  such  manner,  rest  assured  she  will  resort  to  prostitution, 
either  public  or  private;  for  such  a  woman  would  never  be  satisfied 
to  walk  in  the  humbler  circles  of  society,  casting  aside  her  rich 
dresses  and  costly  jewelry. 

I  do  not  assert  that  personal  compliments  or  praise  will  bring  a 
woman  to  this  condition,  but  there  are  other  forms  of  flattery,  which 
exeri  a  very  strong  influence  on  the  human  mind:  those  which  arise 
from  external  appearances,  and  present  alluring  temptations  be- 
cause of  their  splendor  and  glittering,  dazzling,  fascinating  power 
to  the  eye  of  the  observer.  I  class  these  things  under  the  head  of 
flattery  because  they  are  so  deceiving  and  intoxicating  feo  both  men 
and  women  and  produce  the  same  effect  on  the  mind  that  personal 
flattery  does.  Therefore,  eonsidering  flattery  as  a  name  for  all  de- 
ceptive, artful,  enchanting  and  pleasing  influences  that  act  upon 
the  mind,  it  is  the  most  powerful  seducer  the  human  soul  has  to 
encounter  and  battle  with,  and  we  need  not  wonder  that  so  many 
persons  become  its  victims  instead  of  victors. 

The  most  contemptible  kind  of  flattery  is  that  which  is  given 
just  for  the  sake  of  being  polite  and  agreeable,  or  commending  in 
words  of  praise  when  not  sincere  in  so  doing  —  praising  another  for 
policy's  sake,  in  order  to  gain  some  advantage  or  favor.  To  render 
praise  which  we  do  not  mean  is  simply  a  polite  way  of  lying  on  our 
part,  and  a  positive  injury  to  the  party  we  have  deceived;  and  yet 
this  is  a  common  practice  with  persons  who  consider  themselves 
good  people.  Miss  A.  has  some  acquaintances  w^ho  call  on  her 
occasionally.  She  dislikes  their  company,  and  would  rather  have 
them  stay  away;  nevertheless  she  meets  them  in  a  pleasant,  friendly 
manner  at  the  door,  tells  them  she  is  delighted  to  see  them,  that 
they  arc  almost  strangers —it  is  ?o  long  since  they  have  called. 


94  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AlSTi   VANITY. 

She  entertains  them,  and  makes  herself  as  agreeable  as  possible. 
When  they  are  about  leaving,  she  asks  them  why  they  are  in  such  a 
hurry— why  not  stay  a  little  longer;  and  if  they  insist  on  going,  she 
invites  them  to  call  again  whenever  convenient,  and  even  kisses  them 
good-bye.  But  she  has  scarcely  closed  the  door  on  them  before  she 
changes  her  tune,  and  in  a  half-passionate  mood,  declares  she  would 
rather  have  their  room  than  their  company,  or  words  to  that  effect. 

Those  persons  who  are  always  so  smiling  and  agreeable  in  their 
Intercourse  are  the  quickest  to  turn  sour  whenever  they  are  dis- 
pleased. This  winning  and  pleasing  manner  is  very  often  assumed 
— put  on  for  the  occasion.  In  other  words,  it  does  not  come  from 
the  heart.  Some  business  men  will  smile  at  their  help  one  minute, 
and  shortly  afterward  turn  around  and  discharge  them  for  a  trifling 
offense.  There  are  plenty  of  women  who  cannot  endure  a  stern  or 
sedate  look;  it  seems  to  freeze  them.  They  prefer  the  society  of 
one  who  has  winning  ways  and  happy  smiles.  But  there  is  often  a 
better  heart  behind  a  sober,  penetrating  eye  than  there  is  in  the  one 
whose  face  is  lit  up  with  sunny  smiles;  for  he  who  draws  and  melts 
with  a  smile,  can  like\^'ise  repel  and  freeze  with  a  frown.  The  flat- 
tery of  smiles  too  ofte?:\  gains  on  people  to  their  own  disadvantage. 
They  place  us  in  a  negaxive  condition  to  others,  so  that  we  are  the 
more  easily  acted  upon;  whereas  a  stern  countenance  leaves  us  in 
a  positive  relation. 

With  evil-disposed,  utiprincipled  men,  flattery  serves  as  a  wedge 
by  which  they  ingratiate,  press  or  force  themselves  into  the  good- 
will and  affection  of  women,  and,  like  Satan,  when  he  gains  a  slight 
entrance  into  the  human  heart,  work  their  way  farther  and  farther 
into  the  confidence  of  their  victims  until  they  accomplish  their  ruin. 
Many  a  bright  and  fair  damsel,  who  had  been  the  pride  and  joy  of 
her  parents,  has  been  brought  to  grief  by  the  cunning  flattery  of 
her  seducer.  And  the  parents  who  despise  and  sometimes  turn 
their  backs  upon  the  daughter  who  has  fallen  from  virtue,  are  the 
very  ones  who  have  most  encouraged  the  ensnaring  sin.  They  see 
the  effect  but  not  the  cause.  No  man  of  sense,  who  has  any  true 
regard  for  a  woman,  will  deliberately  flatter  her.  Flattery  is  the 
Devil's  weapon,  and  he  who  uses  it  has  a  devilish  purpose  in  so 
doing.  But  women  who  have  a  cultivated  intellect  cannot  be  flat- 
tered in  a  direct  manner;  hence,  shrewd  men  resort  to  what  I  term 
indirect  Sattcry. 


FLATTERY.   CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  95 

If  a  man  wishes  to  gain  the  confidence  and  friendship  of  a  mar- 
ried woman  who  has  a  child  she  indulges,  he  will  flatter  it,  and  be 
very  kind  to  it,  thus  winning  the  heart  of  the  mother  through  her 
child.  If  he  can  find  the  slightest  matrimonial  discord,  he  will 
strongly  sympathize  with  her,  and  try  to  convince  her  that  she  is 
too  ^cod  and  worthy  a  woman  for  such  a  man  as  her  husband.  If 
she  be  a  single  lady,  he  will  praise  her  very  highly  to  some  of  her 
friends,  who  will  be  sure  to  go  and  tell  her  all  he  says — though  1 
do  not  say  every  man  who  praises  a  young  lady  in  the  presence  of 
her  friends  or  herself  has  any  immoral  motive.  Such  may  be  the 
case,  or  he  may  simply  wish  to  gain  her  esteem,  or  become  a  special 
favorite.  Nevertheless,  every  woman  ought  to  be  on  her  guard,  let 
flattery  come  from  whomsoever  or  whatever  source  it  may.  She 
should  likewise  use  her  judgment  to  distinguish  between  flattery 
and  just  and  friendly  commendation  and  praise.  Of  the  two  ex- 
tremes, one  had  better  not  receive  enough  than  too  much  praise^ 

Public  persons  are  frequently  flattered  through  the  press,  espec- 
ially actors  and  actresses;  and  frequently  private  individuals  are 
flattered  through  the  newspapers  on  account  of  their  appearance 
at  some  fashionable  ball  or  party;  and  yet,  I  have  sometimes 
thought,  the  dresses  and  jewelry  of  such  persons  are  praised  more 
than  the  originals;  indicating  that  the  fashionable  Vv^orld  is  more 
interested  in  dresses  and  diamonds  than  in  the  persons  who  wear 
them.  In  fact,  the  individuals  themselves  are  more  anxious  and 
better  satisfied  to  see  a  printed  description  of  their  elegant  and 
costly  adornmeiits,  than  they  v/ould  be  to  see  a  description  of  the 
qualities  and  jewels  that  adorn  their  minds. 

Nowhere  is  the  vanity  of  women  more  apparent  than  in  dress 
and  the  efforts  and  sacrifices  they  will  make  to  dress,  see  and  be 
seen,  I  examined  a  lady's  head  at  Richfield  Springs,  N,  Y.,  one 
summer,  and  told  her  she  had  too  much  love  of  praise  and  flattery, 
and  was  too  sensitive  in  her  feelings.  The  followino^  summer  I  met 
her  husband  in  the  White  Mountains,  who  introduced  himself  to 
me,  and  after  getting  a  chart  of  his  own  head,  told  me  that  his  wife 
would  take  twenty  dresses  to  a  summer  resort  with  her,'  and  change 
her  dress  three  or  four  times  a  day,  if  she  thought  she  could  attract 
attention  by  so  doing;  that  she  was  making  her  hundredth  dress 
and  still  was  not  satisfied,  and  thought  he  did  not  care  for  her  nor 
use  her  right.      Poor  woman!      It   is  a  wonder  she  did  not   apply  for 


9^  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT  AND   VANITY. 

A  divorce  on  the  ground  of  cruelty  and  neglect !  It  seems  to  be  tli€ 
ambition  of  some  fashionable  women  to  have  as  many  changes  of 
dress  and  toilet  as  they  can  I  read  a  statement  in  a  newspaper 
from  a  Saratoga  correspondent,  that  a  certain  lady  who  was  stop- 
ping at  one  of  the  hotels  there,  had  not  repeated  a  toilet  once  in 
three  weeks,  and  arrayed  herself  in  two  or  three  different  dresses 
daily.  As  to  how  true  it  is,  i  do  not  know;  but  judge  from  my  own 
observations  that  there  is  more  truth  than  poetry  in  it. 

Nor  is  the  feeling  of  vanity  and  passion  for  dress  confined  to 
the  aristocracy,  or  any  particular  class  of  women;  it  runs  through 
the  whole  sex,  especially  in  civilized  countries,  and  the  United 
States  in  particular.  Servant  girls  are  almost  as  bad  as  those  they 
work  for  and  wait  on,  and  some  of  them  worse.  The  keeper  of  a 
boarding  house  in  Salem,  Mass.,  told  me  her  former  cook  had  a 
dress  that  cost  over  one  hundred  dollars,  and  that  she  paid  fifteen 
dollars  to  have  a  chemise  made;  that  one  of  her  girls  in  the  kitchen 
had  a  dress  which  cost  nearly  one  hundred  dollars.  She  had  a 
pretty  face,  and  I  suppose  she  thought  she  might  as  well  have  a 
dress  to  correspond.  VVHio  knows  now-a-days  when  passing  a  well- 
dressed  woman  on  the  street,  or  seeing  her  in  some  public  gather- 
ing, whether  she  is  a  mistress  or  a  servant,  a  society  belle  or  a 
kitchen  belle;  that  is,  if  you  judge  her  simply  by  her  dress.  Cooks 
and  dining-room  girls  will  save  their  wages  for  months  in  order  to 
have  a  fine  dress  and  feathers  in  their  hats,  all  to  attract  attention 
and  catch  a  beau,  a  husband,  or  a  flirt.  I  low  truly  has  si^m  person 
said:  "It  is  the  eyes  of  others  that  ruin  us,  not  our  own." 

There  is  another  form  of  flattery  which  may  come  under  this 
head.  1  refer  to  that  which  makes  men  and  women  so  fond  of  the 
theater,  and  of  any  richly-furnished,  tasty,  elegant  {>lace  of  amuse- 
ment or  recreation.  I  am  not  discussing  here  whether  theater  gomg 
is  right  or  wrong;  but  one  thing  is  evident:  the  world  furnishes  us 
more  objects  of  beauty  and  pleasure  than  the  church  does.  As  the 
human  mind  craves  for  these  two  things,  pcop'e  will  go  where  they 
are  to  be  seen.  Of  course,  it  is  not  the  mission  of  the  church,  as  a 
church,  or  religion,  to  furnish  objects  of  beauty  or  amusement,  but 
to  save  souls;  but  it  is  the  duty  of  society,  whether  m  the  church 
or  out  of  it,  to  provide  some  kind  of  moral  amusement  to  meet  a 
demand  in  mans  mental  and  physical  organization,  which  is  just  as 
necessary  to  be  fed  as  his  stomach. 


I?LATTERV,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  97 

But  to  return  to  the  subject.  There  is  a  kind  of  flattery  belong- 
ing to  the  theater  which  seems  to  entrance  the  mind,  and  which  is 
so  powerful  in  its  effect  upon  some  that  it  creates  an  insatiable 
desire  for  theater-going,  and  unfits  them  for  the  stern  realities  of 
life.  Life  to  them  is  a  sort  of  dream  or  delirium.  They  see  nothing 
in  a  practical  lii^Hit,  or  in  its  true  nature;  hence  their  idea  of  people 
and  things  are  fictitious.  This  is  simply  because  what  they  have 
seen  has  been  fictitious,  or  a  reality  flattered;  and  they  have  not 
looked  beyond  the  external  vail  to  see  the  reality  behind.  They 
are  affected  only  by  that  which  pleases  the  fancy  or  excites  the 
imagination.  Uid  they  but  perceive  and  think  a  little,  they  could 
read  the  lesson  which  every  play  is  intended  to  convey. 

Thousands  of  persons  become  stage-struck  because  they  are 
sensitive  to  flattery,  or  anything  of  a  superficial  nature;  but  they 
have  little  idea  how  much  hard  work  and  close  application  there  is 
attending  a  theatrical  life.  But  there  are  a  great  many  people  who 
go  to  a  theater  just  to  be  amused.  Unable  to  entertain  themselves, 
they  are  willing  to  pay  others  to  do  it  for  them.  They  belong  to 
that  giddy,  harmless  class  of  the  community,  who  never  think 
intently  on  any  subject  —  never  exercise  or  try  to  develop  their 
mental  powers;  and,  so  far  as  intelligence  is  concerned,  are  little 
better  than  the  brute  creation.  They  only  gratify  their  animal  or 
selfish  propensities.  And  this  is  one  reason  why  theaters  do  not 
rise  higher  in  the  character  of  the  plays  presented.  The  majority 
of  regular  theater  attendants  are  of  the  class  I  have  just  described; 
hence  the  managers  pander  to  their  taste,  and  put  on  the  stage  the 
plays  that  suit  the  people. 

What  means  all  this  powdering,  painting,  stuflfing  and  padding 
business,  so  extensively  practiced  in  the  cities  of  the  United  States, 
but  a  desire  to  flatter  and  present  a  better  appearance  than  nature 
has  bestowed,  though  it  generally  detracts  from,  instead  of  improv- 
ing, the  personal  beauty.  There  are  women  who  would  feel  insulted 
to  be  considered  anything  but  perfect  ladies  —  religious  ones  at  that 
—  who  powder  so  excessively,  on  extra  occasious,  as  to  make  them- 
selves look  more  like  the  daubed  actresses  of  a  low  variety-stage 
than  pure-minded,  respectable  women.  If  they  have  a  picture 
taken,  the  artist  must  make  it  look  fifty  per  cent,  better  than  the 
original,  or  else  they  are  dissatisfied;  and  he  is  sure  to  lose  their 
patronage,  and  his  reputation  as  an  artist,  so  far  as  they  are  con- 


gS  FU.TTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANItV. 

cerned.  Let  a  painter  execute  a  portrait  in  oil  or  water  colois,  and 
put  a  healthy  color  in  the  face;  they  will  probably  object  to  it 
They  would  rather  have  a  sort  of  deathly-pale  complexion,  similar  to 
what  they  get  by  powdering,  which  imparts  the  most  sickly  appear- 
ance to  the  face  one  can  imagine.  But,  then,  they  know  more  about 
how  a  picture  ought  to  be  than  the  artist,  and  so  he  must  succumb 
to  their  whims  or  lose  his  money  and  his  practice.  And  yet  these 
knowing  individuals  could  not  tell  the  names  of  the  three  primary 
colors  and  their  complementaries.  In  fact,  many  persons  do  not 
study  colors  enough  to  know  which  is  the  complementary  of  their 
own  complexions.  When  art  and  artists  occupy  their  proj)er 
positions  in  the  minds  of  the  public,  they  will  execute  and  finish 
pictures  as  they  think  best,  and  not  be  controlled  by  the  whims  of 
purchasers. 

A  lady  of  ordinary  appearance  went  to  a  photographic  artist  in 
Philadelphia,  to  have  her  picture  taken  and  painted  on  a  porcelain 
plate,  for  a  Christmas  present  to  her  husband.  She  told  the  artist 
she  wanted  something  beautiful  and  finely  finished;  she  was  not  so 
particular  about  the  likeness  as  she  was  to  have  a  pretty  or  flatter- 
ing picture.  Accordingly  the  artist  did  his  best  and  painted  a 
beautiful  picture,  much  better  looking  than  the  original.  She  took 
it  home  and  gave  it  to  her  husband,  who  returned  to  the  gallery  a 
few  days  afterwards  with  the  picture  and  his  wife,  stating  that  it 
was  not  a  good  likeness;  said  he,  "This  is  fine  work  and  a  beautiful 
picture,  but  it  does  not  look  H.ke  my  wife,  and  I  want  a  likeness  of 
her."  When  the  reception-room  lady  who  took  the  order  reminded 
the  lady  that  she  ordered  a  good-looking  picture  regardless  of  like- 
ness, she  replied:  "Yes,  I  know  I  wanted  it  pretty,  but  I  thought 
you  could  make  it  so  and  keep  the  likeness  too."  So  the  artist 
had  to  do  his  work  over  again,  just  on  account  of  the  woman's 
vanity  and  her  desire  to  be  flattered;  or,  in  other  words,  because 
she  got  the  artist  to  paint  a  lie  for  her, 

I  am  aware  there  are  plenty  of  men  and  women  in  the  picture 
business  who  know  no  more  about  art  than  their  customers,  and 
sometimes  not  so  much;  but  what  business  have  people  to  patronize 
such  miserable  daubers }  Thousands  of  men  and  women  flatter 
themselves  they  have  artistic  ability,  and  become  painters  or  pho- 
tographers, palm  off"  upon  the  people  distorted,  indistinct,  unnatural 
pictures,   freaks  of  their  imagination.     I  remember  seeing  an  oil 


FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND    VANITY.  Q9 

portrait  of  a  lady,  painted  by  one  of  these  art  know-nothings,  that 
was  one  of  the  worst  distortions  of  humanity  I  ever  saw  or  wish  to 
see.  Still,  she  hung  it  in  her  parlor  for  every  visitor  to  laugh  at. 
It  was  a  fine  caricature,  and  one  of  the  most  amusing  things  she 
could  place  on  exhibition.  Perhaps,  if  a  first-class  artist  had  painted 
one,  she  v/ould  have  objected  to  it,  and  never  taken  it  from  his  studio. 

It  is  a  common  occurrence  in  a  photograph  gallery  for  subjects 
to  inform  the  operator  that  they  are  sure  he  will  not  get  a  good  pic- 
ture of  them  —  they  always  look  horrid  in  a  picture  —  never  did 
have  a  good  one,  never  expect  to  —  they  have  tried  so  often,  and 
always  failed  —  have  been  to  nearly  every  gallery  in  the  city  —  they 
know  they  are  poor  subjects,  and  if  they  do  not  succeed  this  time, 
they  will  never  try  again.  Thus  they  do  all  in  their  power  to  dis- 
courage the  operator,  and  remove  every  hope  and  all  the  ambition 
he  may  have  of  so  doing.  He  at  once  concludes  they  are  hard  sub- 
jects—  nervous,  whimsical,  vain,  and  self-willed.  They  will  sit  just 
as  they  please,  have  just  such  a  view  as  they  please  — in  fact,  do 
anything  and  everything  but  what  the  operator  wants  them  to  do; 
and  that  they  will  not  do.  Well,  after  a  great  deal  of  fussing  and 
disputing,  a  negative  is  taken,  and  they  make  their  exit,  leaving 
the  excited  operator  to  cool  down,  and  recuperate  from  his  nervous 
exhaustion.  They  return  a  day  or  two  afterwards  to  see  their 
proof  They  hardly  get  a  sight  of  it  before  they  exclaim:  "O!  I 
do  not  like  that;  it  does  not  look  a  bit  like  me.  I  know  I  am  a  dif- 
ficult subject,  and  hard  to  take,  and  don't  want  anything  better 
looking  than  what  I  am;  but  that  does  not  do  me  justice!  That's 
horrid !     It's  the  worst  looking  thing  I  ever  had." 

Now,  It  is  generally  the  case  that  operators,  having  a  nervous 
temperament,  have  feelings  which  cause  them  to  think  and  feel  like 
other  people.  And  after  listening  to  that  kind  of  soul-inspiring 
language,  they  frequently  become  too  much  inspired,  lose  control 
of  temper,  and  retaliate  in  remarks  not  very  complimentary  to  their 
subjects;  and  the  result  is,  the  latter  go  away  mad  at  the  gallery, 
the  operator  and  themselves,  wondering  why  they  cannot  get  a 
picture  just  as  good  as  some  other  person,  who  has  been  a  calm, 
unassuming,  yielding,  graceful^  do-as-you-please  kind  of  subject, 
but  no  better  looking. 

It  is  evident  that  those  persons  who  pass  uncomplimentary  re- 
marks upon  themselves  do  not  mean  what  they  say^  but  are  trying 


109  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 

to  get  the  person  addressed  to  really  compliment  them  and  flatter 
their  vanity,  if  he  has  to  lie  to  do  it.  A  lady  who  had  thus  spoken 
to  a  gentleman  concerning  herself,  received  as  an  answer  (he  per- 
ceiving her  object  and  vanity)  that  it  would  not  do  for  him  to  say 
that  to  her.  This  was  such  a  cutting  rebuke  to  her  that  she  left 
the  room  as  soon  as  convenient,  and  never  recognized  or  spoke  to 
the  gentleman  afterwards;  so,  if  she  had  really  meant  what  she  said, 
she  would  not  have  felt  so  sensitive  and  offended  over  it.  It  is 
plain,  therefore,  that  she  did  just  what  thousands  of  persons  of  both 
sexes  do  every  day,  which  is  to  disparage  themselves  in  an  attempt 
to  compel  some  one  else  to  contradict  and  praise  them.  It  is  cer- 
tainly a  mean  and  awkward  way  of  seeking  compliments,  for  it  is 
generally  said  or  done  in  such  a  manner  that,  as  I  have  just  re- 
marked, one  is  compelled  to  either  lie,  or  remain  silent,  or  give 
offense.  One  of  the  three  things  is  inevitable,  except  in  some  cases 
where  the  person  can  avoid  the  difficulty  by  evasion. 

One  of  the  evils  attending  flattery  is  that  it  is  generally  the 
outgrowth  of  selfishness.  Persons  are  apt  to  praise  others  about  as 
much  or  as  far  as  they  consider  it  to  be  for  their  own  interest  to  do 
so.  Business  persons  will  flatter  their  customers,  so  that  they  can 
sell  goods  and  get  at  their  pockets,  and  people  are  generally  willing 
to  pay  well  for  goods,  providing  they  are  well  soaped  with  flattery. 
Who  are  the  most  successful  salesmen.?  Why,  those  having  large 
agreeableness,  secretiveness  and  human  nature.  They  can  thus 
win  the  good-will  of  their  customers,  and  palaver  them  till  they 
make  them  believe  they  v/ant  an  article,  against  their  own  judgment. 

Sometimes  persons,  through  conceit  or  vain  hope,  will  flattei 
themselves  into  a  delusion  concerning  their  talents  or  future  wel- 
fare. 

A  gentleman,  in  speaking  of  colleges,  once  said  he  would  send 
his  son  to  school,  if  it  was  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  take  the 
conceit  out  of  him;  for,  however  smart  he  may  be,  he  is  pretty  sure 
to  meet  some  one  who  can  excel  him,  at  least  in  some  branches  of 
education.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  is  diffident,  and  does  not 
think  enough  of  himself,  then  college  life  and  discipline  will  help  to 
remedy  this  deficiency. 

Flattery  is  a  poor  thing  to  live  upon;  it  never  satisfies.  The 
more  we  get,  the  more  we  want.  It  soon  passes  away;  for  they 
wlwj  flatter  to-day,  may  scorn  to-morrow.    The  m^  whp  is  dll 


FLATTERY,   CONCEIT  AND   VANITY.  I©I 

smiles  and  politeness,  rendering  all  the  attention  that  etiquette 
calls  for  to  the  lady  he  escorts  to  an  evening  entertainment,  may, 
after  marriage,  prove  to  be  just  the  reverse. 

Let  me  remind  the  reader  that  the  Bible  does  not  flatter  men, 
and  God  never  flattered  his  people.  There  is  not  so  much  danger, 
if  there  is  any,  arising  from  a  deficiency  of  praise  as  there*  is  in  an 
excess  of  it.  And  the  writings  of  that  wise  man,  Solomon,  are  full 
of  warnings  against  this  evil,  so  common  in  the  moral  and  religious 
classes  of  society. 

Approbativeness  is  one  of  the  most  influential  and  powerful 
organs  of  the  brain.  It  manifests  itself  in  a  great  variety  of  ways. 
Not  only  does  the  love  of  flattery  spring  from  it,  but  it  also  gives 
rise  to  the  spirit  of  emulation  as  seen  in  the  political,  business, 
social  and  religious  contests  of  Uie.  In  the  common  and  worldly 
mind  it  delights  in  physical  contests  for  superiority,  such  as  wrest- 
ling, walking-matches,  boat-racing,  horse-racing,  pigeon-shooting 
and  similar  performances.  In  the  intellectual  and  moral  mind  it 
soars  higher,  and  loves  to  excel  in  the  nobler  and  grander  events  of 
life,  such  as  oratory  and  poetry,  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  in  litera- 
ture and  music,  in  business  and  pleasure.  It  produces  competition 
and  rivalry  between  individuals,  cities  and  nations,  and  is  really  the 
backbone  of  enterprise  and  industry.  It  makes  people  like  to  see 
things  and  talk  about  things  on  a  big  scale;  admires  success,  but 
cannot  endure  disappointment.  It  even  thinks  a  thief  smart  if  he 
steals  a  million,  but  a  fool  if  only  a  small  amount.  I  was  amused  to 
hear  a  colored  student  in  a  college  in  Virginia,  when  being  ex- 
amined in  a  moral  philosophy  class,  say,  that  he  would  consider  a 
man  a  natural  thief  if  he  stole  a  hog,  but  if  he  were  to  steal  a  mil- 
lion dollars  that  would  be  a  case  of  temptation.  He  was  partly 
right,  inasmuch  as  a  million  would  be  a  stronger  inducement  to 
theft  than  a  hog,  but  he  would  be  a  thief  all  the  same;  the  differ- 
ence being  that  in  the  lesser  case  he  would  be  a  petty  thief,  and  in 
the  other  a  wholesale  thief,  which  is  the  hardest  kind  to  convict 
and  punish. 

This  organ  loves  to  see  prosperity  in  others  as  well  as  self-ad- 
vancement; it  admires  the  victor,  but  looks  coldly  upon  the  defeated 
in  whatever  contest  or  sphere  of  Hfe.  It  makes  scholars  overwork 
their  brain  to  keep  up  or  be  ahead  in  their  classes;  like  a  young 
lady  teacher  in  a  high  school  who  ^ec^me  insiane  through  h^d 


102 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 


Study  in  order  to  obtain  Normal  School  honors.  Nothing  stimu- 
lates and  pleases  this  faculty  so  much  as  victory,  success,  popularity, 
praise,  great  display,  bestowal  of  favors  and  power.  How  the 
world  honors,  adores  and  remembers  great  generals  and  heroes  of 
all  kinds;  and  how  quickly  they  censure  one  who  suffers  defeat. 
Nor  is  anything  so  displeasing  and  offensive  to  approbativeness  as 
defeat,  censure  and  scorn;  nor  does  anything  so  excite  this  organ 
to  deeds  of  desperation,  as  censure  mingled  with  defeat  and  morti- 
fication. I  have  no  doubt  that  Horace  Greeley  and  General  Lee 
went  to  their  graves  earlier  than  they  would  have  done,  but  for  the 
silent  and  consuming  grief  caused  through  the  mortification  of  this 
organ.  Even  murders  or  attempts  at  it  may  be  traced  to  its  mor- 
tified and  enraged  excitement,  as  when  a  mother  tried  to  shoot  her 
son-in-law  for  the  murder  of  her  daughter,  evidently  because  he 
accused  or  blamed  her  for  the  flirting  conduct  of  his  wife.  And 
the  jury,  as  a  consequence,  would  not  hang  him,  but  simply  gave 
him  fourteen  years  in  the  penitentiary.  She  appeared  in  the  court 
room  in  a  long  crape  mourning  vail,  and  drawing  a  revolver,  fired 
at  the  prisoner,  but  the  vail  caught  between  the  hammer  and  the 
cartridge  and  prevented  explosion. 

Retaliation  also  springs  from  the  mortified  excitement  of  this 
organ.     A  young  lady,  a  stranger  in  New  York  City,  saw  an  adver- 
tisement in  the  paper  for  an  assistant.     She  called  to  answer  it, 
when  the  man  or  brute  attempted  to  rob  her  of  her  virtue.     She 
got  away  from  him,  and  set  her  feminine  ingenuity  to  work  to  pun- 
ish him  for  his  insult  upon  her  honor  and  virtue.     She  made  a  lash 
in  which  she  inserted  a  number  of  pins,  then  bought  some  red  pep- 
per, and  going  to  his  place  of  business,  sent  word  up  to  his  office 
that  a  lady  desired  to  see  him  at  the  door.     He  walked  down  stairs 
to  the  sidewalk,  when,  after  saying  a  few  words  to  him,  she  threw 
a  handful  of  red  pepper  into  his  eyes  and  then  commenced  to  lash 
and  cut  him  about  the  face  and  head  terribly.     But  there  is  no  end 
to  the  numerous  instances  and  ways  in  which  this  spirit  of  retalia- 
tion is  shown;  sometimes  with  a  show  of  justice,  and  very  often  en- 
tirely uncalled  for  and  unjustifiable.     Perhaps  the  most  aggravating 
form  in  which  this  unchristian  spirit  is  manifested  is  in  social  and 
business  life.     If  one  man  does  not  do  what  another  thinks  he  ought 
to,  he  makes  up  his  mind  to  get  even  in  some  way  by  retaliation. 
In  social  life  one  person  tries  to  pay  back  a  slight  or  neglect  of 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  10? 

^ome  acquaintance  to  show  preference,  give  favors  or  bestow  praise, 
by  cutting  the  acquaintance,  playing  a  mean  trick  or  humiliating 
the  offender.  I  remember  a  girl  whose  friendship  suddenly  turned 
to  impudence  and  sarcasm,  because  I  did  not  compliment  her  by 
examining  her  head  at  a  parlor  entertainment,  and  she  is  but  a 
ample  of  several  such  cases,  including  both  sexes.  A  young, 
cheeky  daughter  of  a  hotel-keeper  in  Iowa,  was  anxious  to  be 
present  in  the  parlor  while  I  made  some  examinations.  I  politely 
informed  her  that  the  examinations  were  private.  Taking  the 
exclusion  as  an  offense,  she  did  all  in  her  power  to  annoy  me  and  my 
subjects.  If  I  had  been  very  anxious  to  have  her  present  at  all  ex- 
aminations she  would  most  likely  have  pleaded  other  engagements 
or  want  of  time;  but  because  she  was  not  wanted  and  made  to  feel  so, 
she  was  determined  to  retaliate  by  annoyance,  in  a  style  girls  and 
women  have  a  faculty  for  doing,  without  being  boisterous  or  very 
rude.  These  sort  of  polite  annoyances  and  social  retaliations  (if  I 
may  call  them  by  that  name)  for  slight  and  unintentional  offenses, 
are  enough  to  provoke  a  saint,  especially  when  practiced  by  a  woman 
toward  a  man;  because  he  feels  he  cannot,  with  gentlemanly  pro- 
priety, resent  them.  That  is  about  the  meanest  kind  of  meanness, 
where  a  woman  takes  advantage,  retaliates  or  does  something  just 
because  she  is  a  woman,  and  her  victim  a  man,  and  therefore  unable, 
through  a  sense  of  gallantry  and  manliness,  to  defend  or  protect 
himself. 

A  woman  is  tne  strangest  mixture  of  opposites  and  inconsisten- 
cies in  all  God's  creation.  Of  all  terrestrial  beings  she  is  the  sweet- 
est and  meanest;  the  loveliest  and  the  vainest;  the  most  angelic 
and  Satanic.  She  can  rise  to  the  most  exalted  heights  of  piety, 
devotion,  love  and  purity,  or  sink  to  the  lowest  depths  of  degra- 
dation and  wickedness.  She  can  be  as  modest  and  innocent  as  a 
lamb,  and  as  artful  and  insinuating  as  the  devil  himself.  She  can 
make  her  life  and  character  as  beautiful  and  fragrant  as  a  rose,  or  as 
poisonous  and  offensive  as  the  poppy  or  deadly  nightshade.  It  is 
under  the  influence  of  this  organ  of  approbativeness  that  we  see  the 
weakest  and  most  objectionable  points  in  her  character,  because  then 
she  is  under  the  rule  of  a  selfish  sentiment;  the  strongest  faculty  in 
her  soul  except  love.  But  when  she  is  controlled  by  love  and  the 
moral  faculties,  she  is  an  earthly  angel,  and  no  brighter  blessing  illu- 
mines the  pathway  of  man.     The  reason  I  am  so  severe,  as  some  will 


104  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND   VANITY. 

undoubtedly  think,  on  female  character,  is  because  I  want  to  see  love- 
ly woman  more  perfect;  and  one  reason  why  I  am  so  anxious  about 
their  perfection  is  because  men  can  never  be  any  better  cr  greater 
morally  and  intellectually  than  what  their  mothers  make  them. 
Mothers  influence  the  characters  of  their  children  more  than  fathers. 
When  woman  rises  the  whole  race  will  rise,  but  if  she  sinks  the  race 
will  sink  with  her. 

Vanity  and  show-off  feeling  is  another  phase  of  the  organ  of 
approbativeness  improperly  educated.  It  is  found  in  both  sexes, 
but  is  more  peculiarly  characteristic  of  females.  We  see  it  best 
illustrated  in  the  male  character  on  such  occasions  as  military 
parades.  The  army  probably  furnishes  the  best  illustrations  of 
masculine  vanity  anywhere  to  be  found;  especially  with  the  officers. 
It  was  stated  in  the  public  press  concerning  the  late  Prince  Imperial 
of  France,  that  at  a  ball  given  by  the  Duchess  of  W^estminster,  in 
1876,  he  offered  to  jump  over  a  balcony  to  the  illuminated  lawn  be- 
low (a  distance  of  twenty  feet),  if  his  partner  would  bet  him  a  shil- 
ling that  he  would  not.  She  wisely  refused.  No  young  man  save 
one  whose  brain  was  fairly  intoxicated  with  vanity,  would  think  of 
making  such  a  proposition  or  exhibition  of  himself.  And  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that  the  same  spirit  of  vain  ambition  was  the  cause 
of  his  losing  his  life  among  the  Zulus  in  Africa.  Who  can  prove 
that  Gen.  Custer,  a  brave  general  who  was  massacred  with  his  men 
by  the  Indians,  did  not  also  lose  his  life  by  an  over-zealous,  vain 
ambition.?  Even  the  great  Napoleon  came  to  an  inglorious  end, 
and  the  whole  French  nation  to  grief  and  humiliation  in  their  late 
war  with  Germany,  through  this  monster  passion.  In  the  latter 
case,  however,  there  was  a  mixture  of  conceit  with  their  vain  ideas. 

Sometimes  medical  professors,  touched  with  this  vain  feeling, 
resort  to  vivisection  as  a  means  of  exciting  or  gratifying  the  curi- 
osity of  their  students  by  showing  them  what  they  can  do  in  sur- 
gery; thus  causing  the  poor  animals  to  be  tortured  and  slaughtered 
without  mercy.  If  some  of  the  vain,  conceited  doctors  would  only 
carve  up  one  another  to  amuse  their  students,  instead  of  the  poor, 
dumb,  defenseless  animals,  the  rest  of  the  world  would  be  much 
better  off. 

This  spirit  of  vanity  in  woman  runs  through  every  grade  and 
condition  in  life,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  It  permeates  their 
every  thought  and  act.     It  speaks  in  their  voice,  their  looks,  their 


fLAtTfiRY,  CONCEtt  ANt)  VANttV.  t05 

gestures,  their  conduct.  You  may  as  well  expect  an  old  toper  to 
pass  a  saloon  without  stepping  in  to  take  a  drink,  as  for  a  woman 
to  pass  a  mirror  without  stopping  to  look  at  herself  to  see  if  her 
frizzes  are  all  right,  her  hat  just  so,  and  her  dress  hanging  grace- 
fully. For,  after  all,  she  cares  more  about  her  toilet  than  her  face, 
unless  it  be  to  see  that  the  powder  is  not  rubbed  off — if  she  hap- 
pens to  be  one  of  the  daubing  kind.  Anything  to  attract  attention 
seems  to  be  the  secret  motive  of  some  of  the  fair  sex.  And  it  is 
really  amusing  to  watch  their  little  manoeuvres.  A  young  lady 
who  was  going  off  for  a  short  trip  with  her  intended,  was  anxious 
that  everybody  sitting  on  the  veranda  should  know  it,  and  take 
some  notice  of  her  departure;  so  she  got  her  friend  to  run  out  to 
the  gate,  about  thirty  yards  from  the  house,  to  stop  the  omnibus, 
while  she  took  her  time  to  get  ready,  then  slowly  walked  through 
the  yard,  putting  on  her  gloves,  keeping  the  'bus  and  its  occupants 
awaiting  her  pleasure.  Of  course,  she  found  it  necessary  to  wait 
till  the  'bus  was  there  before  she  could  get  her  things  on !  A 
woman  invariably  keeps  somebody  waiting  while  she  is  fussing  to 
get  ready  and  attract  a  little  attention.  If  she  is  sitting  down  in 
a  car,  or  in  some  public  place,  she  must  fuss  with  her  gloves,  pull 
them  off  and  on,  or  else  with  her  ear  rings  or  bracelets  —  anything 
to  attract  the  eyes  of  others. 

This  same  vanity  or  show-off  feeling,  is  manifested  by  nations, 
corporations,  managing  boards  and  all  kinds  of  associations  and 
societies  as  well  as  by  individuals.  Kings,  queens,  and  aristocratic 
forms  of  government  are  the  outgrowth  of  approbativeness.  The 
old  Israelites  were  not  contented  with  a  mere  leader,  they  wanted 
a  king,  and  so  Saul  was  given  unto  them;  and  thus  began  the 
kingdom  form  of  government  with  all  its  pomp,  pride  and  vanity. 
Railroad,  insurance,  bank  and  other  corporations  pay  immense 
salaries  to  their  presidents  for  the  name  and  show  of  the  thing,  but 
give  comparatively  small  wages  to  their  section  hands,  night  watch- 
men and  others  having  weary,  tiresome  and  responsible  positions 
to  fill.  The  men  on  railroads  upon  whom  the  lives  of  travelers  are 
dependent,  such  as  switchmen,  engineers,  brakemen,  etc.,  are  often 
overworked  until  they  become  sleepy  and  careless,  risking  their 
own  lives  as  well  as  those  of  the  passengers.  Men  who  risk  their 
lives  on  locomotives  and  trains  every  hoar,  yea,  and  almost  every 
minute  of  the  day  and  night,  for  the  benefit  of  the  public  and  the 


ic6  FLATTEiV,  COHCRIT  AND  VAmtV. 

corporations  they  serve,  ought  to  be  well  paid  and  enough  men  em- 
ployed to  give  each  other  sufficient  rest  and  time  to  recuperate  the 
terrible  strain  upon  their  nervous  system  which  constant  watching 
for  danger  necessarily  engenders.  This  show-off  feeling  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  upper  class,  however;  it  visits  the  poor  in  their  humble 
dwellings  as  well.  Like  a  poor  family  I  heard  of  in  New  York  City, 
who,  on  a  New  Year's  day,  set  a  splendid  table  and  on  it  a  cake  which 
cost  seven  dollars,  and  the  very  next  day  went  to  their  baker  to 
get  a  loaf  of  bread  on  trust.  It  is  astonishing  how  poor  people  will 
often  deprive  themselves  of  the  necessaries  of  life  in  order  to  make 
a  display  on  extra  occasions,  or  to  keep  up  personal  apj^earances 
Many  a  person  whom  you  see  dressed  well  on  the  streets  with 
feathers  in  their  hats,  if  you  could  but  look  into  their  homes  and 
sit  down  and  take  a  meal  at  their  tables,  you  would  be  surprised  at 
the  contrast,  and  at  once  remember  the  old  proverb,  "All  that 
glitters  is  not  gold."  I  never  could  see  the  sense  of  people  starving 
their  own  bodies  and  souls  to  feed  the  eyes  of  others. 

Pride  is  seen  in  parents  who  dress  their  children  and  grown 
daughters  in  a  more  lavish  style  than  their  pockets  will  often  per- 
mit, for  school  examinations  and  commencement  exercises.  I  pre- 
sume they  regard  graduation-day  as  the  most  important  event  in  a 
girl's  life  next  to  getting  married;  and  so,  frequently  go  beyond 
their  means  to  array  them  in  white  silk  or  satin,  kid  gloves,  and 
other  toilet  accessories,  such  as  jewelry,  etc.,  in  order  to  make  a 
grand  show  of  them;  when,  perhaps,  their  teachers  have  had  the 
hardest  work  imaginable  to  enable  them  to  pass  examination  with 
average  credit.  Even  after  the  affair  is  over,  and  in  after  years, 
there  is  more  talk  about,  and  allusion  to  a  young  lady's  toilet,  and 
how  she  looked  and  acted  on  commencement-day,  than  there  is 
about  her  examination  or  what  she  learned,  unless  she  has  been  an 
«  xceptionally  bright  student  and  her  parents  can  brag  about  her 
femaitness  It  ill  becomes  any  college,  seminary  or  public  school 
to  tolerate  this  nonsense,  and  thereby  foster  the  spirit  of  pride  and 
vanity  in  young  people  as  well  as  in  old.  Schools  are  supposed  to 
educate  young  people  to  be  good  and  sensible,  and  not  vain  and 
useless;  and  if  the  pdrcnts  have  not  any  common  sense  in  such 
matters,  teachers  should  take  steps  to  remedy  the  evil.  Let  them 
remember  the  words  of  the  Apostle  Paul:  "  Let  not  him  who  putteth 
on  his  armor  boast  as  him  that  taketh  it  off."      Pride   enters   largely 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND   VANITY.  I07 

Into  Sabbath-school  concerts  and  church  decorations.  The  children 
appear  upon  the  platform  to  recite,  even  of  a  Sabbath  evening,  with 
their  hair  and  dresses  decked  with  flowers,  which,  in  addition  to 
the  decorations  of  the  pulpit  and  other  surroundings,  present  a  sort 
of  fairy  scene.  It  is  beautiful  and  pleasing  to  the  senses,  I  admit, 
and  generally  accomplishes  the  purpose  such  performances  are  par- 
ticularly gotten  up  for,  namely:  to  draw  a  crowd,  get  a  good  col- 
lection and  satisfy  the  pride  of  those  who  get  it  up  and  participate 
in  the  exercises.  But  after  all  such  things  create  vanity  and  ad- 
miration for  the  creature,  instead  of  reverence  for  God.  The  thought- 
less multitudes  go  there  to  see  the  show  and  be  entertained,  not  to 
hear  the  gospel;  and  if  they  did  there  would  be  very  little  gospel 
to  hear.  Church  fairs  are  gotten  up  for  a  similar  purpose;  to  raise 
money  and  give  the  young  people  as  well  as  some  of  the  old  ones,  a 
chance  to  fix  themselves  up  like  actresses  and  look  ridiculous;  also 
to  do  a  little  courting  and  perhaps  pious  flirting.  Some  churches 
have  been  known  to  spend  more  money  for  floral  decorations  on  sin- 
gle occasions,  like  Easter,  than  they  have  contributed  during  the 
whole  year  for  missionary  purposes.  O.  2ow  pride  and  vanity  knocks 
and  locks  religion  out  of  a  church  and  the  hearts  of  the  people! 
Just  as  in  the  case  of  a  lady  1  once  met  whose  mind  was  poisoned 
against  religion  and  had  been  from  her  youthful  days,  because  her 
mother,  who  was  a  pious  woman,  would  not  let  her  wear  flowers  in 
her  hat.  She  cried  more  over  that,  than  anything  in  her  whole  life. 
Her  mother  was  most  likely  a  little  too  plain  and  rigid  in  her  taste 
and  ideas  about  such  things,  but  it  shows  the  power  of  pride  in  the 
human  soul. 

Sometimes  pride  is  mingled  with  haughtiness  and  manifests 
itself  in  an  offensive  way,  like  a  round-faced  young  woman,  well- 
dressed,  who  was  sitting  in  a  street  car  opposite  me  one  evening, 
when  a  poorly-dressed  man  entered  the  car  and  sat  down  beside  her. 
She  pulled  her  cloak  up  and  threw  it  across  her  lap,  then  turning 
her  head  around  gave  him  a  contemptuous  look  and  got  up,  com- 
pelling her  escort  to  change  places  with  her  as  though  she  was  even 
superior  to  him  and  much  nicer.  As  she  performed  this  disgrace- 
ful act  she  fairly  blushed  with  pride,  though  she  ought  to  have 
blushed  with  shame,  and  I  am  not  suie  but  there  was  a  little  of  that 
feeling  mixed  with  her  pride.  If  the  man  had  been  in  any  way 
offensive  I  should  not  have  blamed  her  so  much  (though  under  aU 


I08  TLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND  VANITY. 

occasions  it  is  well  to  be  lady-like),  but  he  was  not.  He  was  not 
drunk,  nor  even  chewing  tobacco,  nor  in  any  way  offensive  to  any- 
one, save  he  was  a  poor  and  commonly-dressed  man.  If  such 
proud,  vanity-stricken  young  women,  whose  brains  are  in  the  wrong 
part  of  their  heads,  would  only  turn  up  their  celestial  noses  and  put 
on  a  few  righteous  airs  with  the  young  fops  of  the  city,  or  any  class 
of  men,  young  or  old,  rich  or  poor,  who  are  given  to  bad  and  dis- 
gusting habits,  they  would  do  a  good  deal  of  good.  But  they  gen- 
erally shoot  off  their  pride  bullets  where  they  only  do  harm  instead 
of  good,  just  as  assassins  shoot  smart  men  but  never  hurt  the  less 
important  ones.  If  a  young  man  can  sport  a  nobby  suit  of  clothes, 
play  the  agreeable,  and  carry  a  cane  under  his  arm  for  people  to 
run  their  eyes  and  faces  against,  why,  he  may  smoke,  drink,  chew 
and  hold  high  carnival  in  general,  and  still  not  be  objectionable,  but 
rather  adored,  by  the  proud,  outside-show  class  of  young  women. 
What  a  striking  contrast  to  the  young  woman  I  have  described, 
was  the  honest  old  lady  I  saw  (both  of  them  in  New  York),  partic- 
ular to  a  cent  in  paying  her  debts,  and  though  well-off  was  dressed 
like  a  beggar.  She  never  knew  what  it  was  to  want  for  a  dollar, 
and  though  shabby  in  appearance,  she  lived  comfortably  and  in  a 
well-furnished  home.  She  did  not  think  enough  about  dress  or 
have  sufficient  pride  about  her  personal  appearance,  while  the  other 
had  too  much. 

Pride  is  a  remarkably  selfish  feeling,  just  as  a  dog  adheres  to  his 
master  whether  he  be  a  good  man  or  a  bad  man,  and  defends  him 
when  assaulted  whether  he  is  in  the  right  or  wrong;  so  pride  clings 
to  self  with  all  the  tenacity  of  the  soul.  It  loves  self  and  glories  in 
self,  and  never  sees  its  own  imperfections.  Stanley,  who  went  in 
search  of  Livingstone,  the  African  explorer,  says  the  native  Africans 
appear  to  be  as  proud  of  their  black  skin  as  the  Europeans  of  their 
pale  color.  Pride  makes  no  discrimination  between  race,  nations 
or  color;  it  always  thinks  itself  and  its  own  class  perfect.  It  only 
discriminates  in  its  own  favor,  when  brought  in  contrast  with  an- 
other person,  class  or  nation.  Pride  is  self-destructive;  it  works  its 
own  ruin  because  it  is  too  selfish  to  exist;  hence  the  adage,  "pride 
goeth  before  a  fall." 

There  are  many  shades  of  pride,  if  I  may  so  express  it.  Pride 
of  one's  ancestry,  pride  of  country,  pride  of  knowledge,  pride  of 
Wraith,  pride  of  dress,  and  pride  pf  looks.     People  are  very  sensi- 


FLATTERY,   CONCEIT  AND   VANITY.  !•# 

tive  over  the  two  latter,  hence  the  amount  of  time  and  money  spent 
to  present  a  good  appearance.  Wealth  or  beauty  is  the  great  boon 
the  fair  sex  covet,  and  the  lady  who  has  a  pretty  face  is  generally 
proud.  Beauty  and  pride  occupy  about  the  same  relation  to  each 
other  that  wealth  and  fashion  do.  Not  that  beauty  engenders  pride, 
but  because  it  attracts  so  much  attention  and  receives  so  much 
praise,  the  spirit  of  pride  and  vanity  is  soon  developed  in  its  pos- 
sessor, and  if  any  man  wants  to  see  a  beauty  under  a  cloud  or  a  sud- 
den change  in  facial  expression  from  sweetness  to  anger  and  scorn, 
let  him  but  intimate  to  a  belle,  or  any  lady  who  thinks  herself 
pretty,  that  she  is  not,  and  he  will  get  a  look  from  that  beauty  cold 
enough  to  freeze  him.  1  tried  it  once,  and  once  only.  It  was  sev- 
eral years  ago,  and  we  were  going  to  a  picnic.  The  young  lady  was 
quite  good-looking,  but  not  a  belle,  although  evidently  very  proud 
of  her  beauty.  We  were  talking  by  the  way,  when  I  thoughtlessly 
remarked  and  without  really  meaning  what  I  said,  that  I  guessed 
we  were  both  behind  the  door  when  beauty  was  shared.  It  was 
seven  years  after  that  before  she  spoke  to  me  again. 

Conceit  arises  from  the  organ  of  approbativeness  also,  and  not 
as  is  generally  supposed  from  self-esteem.  The  majority  of  people 
of  both  sexes  are  conceited,  but  very  few  have  large  self-esteem. 
Conceit,  like  pride  and  vanity,  is  a  perverted  condition  of  this  organ 
(approbativeness),  and  it  is  the  cause  of  very  much  unpleasantness 
in  the  human  family.  It  would  take  a  good-sized  volume  to  describe 
the  numerous  mistakes  and  accidents  that  are  caused  through  its 
action  and  influence  upon  men's  characters  and  judgment.  The 
pernicious  and  dishonest  habit  of  betting  arises  from  conceit.  Two 
men  get  up  a  controversy  about  something  and  each  thinks  he  is 
right  and  the  other  wrong,  because  he  esteems  his  own  judgment 
better  than  his  neighbor's,  and  as  a  sort  of  display  puts  up  money 
and  risks  it  to  back  his  opinion.  Conceit  makes  a  man  think  him- 
self smarter  than  he  really  is;  makes  him  think  he  knows  more 
than  he  does:  and  makes  him  think  he  understands  what  another 
person  wants  him  to  do,  or  what  he  means  by  a  statement,  when  he 
does  not  half  comprehend  the  meaning  intended.  Many  public 
speakers  are  misunderstood  in  this  way,  and  many  an  author  suffers 
by  havmg  some  phrase  or  sentence  in  his  book  misinterpreted,  just 
because  some  conceited  person  jumps  at  a  conclusion  in  harmony 
with  his  own  mmd  or  way  of  thinking,  without  properly  examining 


no  FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 

a  statement  and  studying  the  meaning  of  the  author  or  his  motive 

for  making  it,  or  trying  to  catch  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  spoken 
or  written.  Others  will  pick  up  a  book  and  critically  read  one 
chapter,  or  a  few  pages  here  and  there,  and  then  conceitedly  con- 
clude they  know  all  about  the  book.  No  greater  injustice  can  be 
done  to  an  author,  because  from  such  a  cursory  reading  the  reader, 
no  matter  how  smart  he  is,  can  only  gather  a  few  disconnected  ideas, 
and  therefore  cannot  possibly  form  a  correct  estimate  of  the  work  as 
a  whole.  An  employer  tells  a  conceited  assistant  he  wants  a  certain 
thing  done  so  and  so;  he  has  hardly  commenced  to  explain  to  him 
how  it  is  to  be  done,  before  he  concludes  he  understands  just  what 
he  wants  and  instead  of  listening  attentively  and  studying  to  com- 
prehend what  his  employer  really  wants,  he  simply  says,  "Yes,  sir, 
yes,  sir,"  and  goes  off  and  does  almost  the  opposite  of  his  orders. 
A  conceited  young  man  goes  to  college  and  after  he  has  been  there 
a  year,  more  or  less,  he  begins  to  think  he  knows  more  than  his 
professors.  And  when  he  has  been  through  the  text-books  of  the 
school  and  graduates,  he  feels  as  big  and  vain  as  a  peacock.  He 
thinks  himself  a  highly-educated  man,  and  walking  dictionary, 
when  he  has  only  learned  how  to  think,  how  to  gather  knowledge, 
and  how  to  make  use  of  it,  as  far  as  practical  life  is  concerned. 
Conceited  young  women  frequently  prejudge  a  man's  motives,  by 
thinking  he  wants  their  company,  or  certain  favors  or  privileges,  or 
that  he  is  in  love  with  them  and  wants  to  marry,  if  he  should  chance 
to  call  or  take  them  out  two  or  three  times;  and  conceited  men  are 
just  as  bad  in  reference  to  ladies. 

Conceit  is  the  cause  of  some  ladies  seeking  or  rather  thrusting 
their  presence  and  claim  for  attention  upon  a  person  when  he  is  en- 
gaged in  conversation  with  another  person.  It  is  a  common  occur- 
rence and  what  I  consider  a  bold  breach  of  etiquette.  A  modest, 
well-educated  lady  will  not  do  it,  but  a  conceited,  proud,  selfish 
woman  will  invariably  interrupt  the  conversation  of  two  persons 
whenever  she  wishes  to  speak  to  one  of  the  parties.  It  is  the  same 
class  of  women  who  expect  to  be  waited  upon  immediately  when 
they  enter  a  place  of  business,  no  matter  who  is  before  them,  and 
take  offense  if  they  are  not.  I  remember  a  photographer  showing 
me  a  picture  of  just  such  a  character.  She  went  to  his  studio  to 
have  a  negative  taken,  and  acted  unreasonable  and  made  quite  a 
fuss  because  she  could  not  be  waited  upon  before  the  other  custo 


Ft.ATTEftV,  COKCttt  AND  VAKiry,  11? 

filers  who  were  ahead  of  her.  Such  women  will  leave  a  parlor  or 
company  in  a  very  short  time,  if  conversation  is  not  directed  to 
them,  or  some  kind  of  attention  shown.  They  must  be  taken  notice 
of  in  some  way,  or  they  feel  slighted  and  take  offense.  You  may 
show  all  the  favors  and  acts  of  kindness  and  friendship  you  please 
to  such  a  woman,  but  the  moment  you  correct,  censure  or  scold  her 
for  anything,  she  will  reverse  her  feelinf:^s  towards  you  and  substi- 
tute enmity  for  friendship.  Women  are  not  willing  to  be  corrected 
or  even  instructed  by  their  gentlemen  escorts.  Information  how- 
ever necessary  and  valuable  for  them  to  know,  when  given  in  that 
way,  is  pretty  sure  to  be  taken  by  ladies  as  a  polite  insult.  A  gen- 
tleman was  playing  in  a  four-handed  game  of  croquet  one  day  with 
a  conceited  young  lady  as  his  partner.  He  saw  she  did  not  thor- 
oughly understand  the  game,  and  was  not  playing  right,  so  he 
ventured  to  correct  her  and  explain  how.  She  took  offense,  got 
angry,  threw  down  her  mallet  and  walked  off  You  may  treat  her 
to  candy  and  bouquets,  and  take  her  out  riding  and  to  places  of 
entertainment  and  she  will  smile  her  sweetest  smile  as  only  a  lady 
can,  but  attempt  to  point  out  lier  faults  or  instruct  her  as  to  how 
she  should  act,  and  you  incur  her  displeasure  at  once.  She  can 
stand  all  the  praise,  admiration,  favors  and  presents  you  choose  to 
shower  upon  her,  but  criticism  and  correction  makes  her  wilt  or 
socially  freeze  up. 

Conceit  makes  people  talk  about  their  relatives  and  acquaint- 
ances, like  a  young  lady  I  had  in  my  employ  once.  I  could  seldom 
allude  to  any  person  but  what  she  had  some  relative  just  like  them, 
and  she  could  hardly  ever  talk  on  any  subject  herself  without  bring- 
ing in  her  uncles,  aunts,  cousins,  brothers,  sisters,  grandparents  or 
some  other  blood  relation;  in  fact,  that  is  the  most  some  young 
ladies  can  find  to  talk  about,  what  their  mammas  and  papas  say 
and  do.  And  there  are  plenty  of  other  ladies  just  like  her,  whose 
conversation  always  turns  upon  family  affairs  or  family  connections, 
and  the  common  events  of  home  and  every-day  life.  Bad  educa- 
tion and  novel-reading  is  another  cause  of  commonplace  and 
trashy  talk  among  young  ladies. 

Conceit  makes  people  talk  big  about  what  they  have  got  or  are 
going  to  do,  or  want  done.  It  is  the  braggadocio  feeling,  and 
whenever  I  hear  a  person  talk  that  way  I  subtract  about  one-half 
from  their  statements  in  order  to  g*;t  at  the  truth.     Some  people 


n2  FLATTERY,  CONCSIT  AND  VANITY. 

when  they  call  on  me  to  have  an  examination  of  their  heads,  begin 
to  tell  me  in  a  very  emphatic  manner  that  they  particularly  want 
to  know  all  the  bad  qualities  about  them,  they  are  very  anxious  to 
know  the  whole  truth.  And  then  when  they  get  the  truth,  it  does 
not  always  go  down  pleasantly,  and  they  are  the  very  kind  to  take 
offense.  About  two  or  three  times  in  the  run  of  a  year  I  meet  with 
these  conceited  and  unreasonable  subjects.  They  pretend  they 
want  to  know  their  faults,  but  secretly  expect  to  be  highly  compli- 
mented. Hence,  when  a  person  comes  to  me  with  such  an  imper- 
ative request  to  know  all,  I  generally  make  up  my  mind  I  have  got 
a  hard  subject  to  please,  because  if  I  fail  to  point  out  some  weak  or 
bad  points  he  thinks  I  am  a  humbug  and  have  not  told  him  all,  but 
have  flattered  him  to  get  his  money;  and  if  I  do  make  him  out  to 
be  bad  or  of  poor  intelligence,  then  he  is  offended,  if  not  angry,  and 
begins  to  make  all  sorts  of  objections.  But  as  I  have  already  inti- 
mated, these  unreasonable  persons  are  exceptional,  and  rare  cases 
in  my  professional  experience.  Conceited  persons  frequently  walk 
up  to  me  in  a  public  hall,  or  on  the  street,  and  say,  "Professor, 
what  do  you  think  of  my  face.?  What  kind  of  a  head,  or  nose,  or 
mouth,  or  eye,  have  I  got.?  Look  me  in  the  face  now,  and  tell  me 
if  you  think  I  would  do,  or  not  do,  so-and-so."  If  I  were  to  answer 
their  questions  and  not  compliment  them  or  flatter  their  vanity, 
they  would  be  offended,  and  if  I  refuse  to  answer  them  (for  such 
persons  never  expect  to  pay  for  such  information),  tr.en  they  are 
offended. 

Sometimes  conceit  will  cost  a  man  his  life.  Like  a  conceited 
doctor  who  thought  he  knew  all  about  elephants,  and  insisted, 
though  warned  of  the  danger,  on  going  into  the  barn  where  one 
was,  and  had  his  conceited  head  torn  from  his  body.  And  a  con- 
ceited young  man  whose  Newfoundland  dog  had  killed  a  bear, 
thought  he  could  t^ickle  an  elephant  also,  which  was  standing  in 
the  water  with  his  keeper.  The  dog  had  more  sense  and  less  con- 
ceit than  his  master,  and  did  not  wish  to  make  the  attempt  until 
urged  on  by  his  owner,  and  then,  with  dog-like  faithfulness,  he 
obeyed  orders.  The  elephant  caught  him,  ducked  him,  threw  him 
up  in  the  air  about  thirty  feet,  caught  him  on  his  tusks  and  threw 
him  out  on  the  ground  a  dead  dog. 

When  a  fashionable  woman  goes  to  a  dry  goods  store  and  buys 
a  small  parcel  of  goods,  she  wants  it  sent  home;    but  when  she 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  II3 

parades  the  streets  she  can  carry  a  whole  arm -full  of  dress  goods 
in  the  shape  of  along  trail,  without  a  murmur.  If  any  lady  readers 
of  this  chapter  should  deem  me  rather  severe  in  my  criticisms 
concerning  their  ways  and  habits,  let  me  remind  them  that  their 
greatest,  most  searching  and  uncharitable  critics,  come  from  their 
own  sex.  I  remember  a  lady  who  was  standing  with  a  number  of 
others  on  a  piazza,  one  si^.mmer  afternoon,  in  Saratoga,  who  re- 
marked, as  another  lady  passed  along  the  sidewalk  with  a  long  trail, 
"Dear  me,  I  wonder  how  much  she  is  paid  by  the  city  authorities 
for  sweeping  the  streets."  But  the  next  time  she  went  out  walking 
herself,  I  noticed  she  had  a  trail  on  her  own  dress,  only  not  quite  as 
long.  This  long-trail  fashion  on  a  public  street  in  the  summer  is  a 
public  nuisance,  anyhow,  for  the  dust  they  raise  for  other  people  to 
swallow  who  have  to  walk  behind  them,  or  even  pass  them,  is  any- 
thing but  pleasant  or  healthy. 

Pride  so  permeates  the  human  soul  that  it  is  difficult  to  tell 
where  it  begins  or  where  it  ends,  for  even  the  Quakers  who  discoun- 
tenance anything  that  looks  like  pride  or  vanity,  are  about  as  proud 
of  their  simplicity  in  dress  and  manner  as  the  fashionable  women 
are  of  their  toilets  and  latest  styles.  The  Quaker  ladies  are  very 
particular  to  have  their  comforters  just  so,  and  their  bonnet-strings 
tied  exactly  to  suit  the  taste;  all  of  which  is  proper  to  a  certain 
extent.  Every  man  and  woman  should  use  taste  and  order  in  the 
arrangement  of  their  garments,  and  in  all  the  affairs  of  Hfe.  But 
the  pride  of  the  Quakers  in  their  systematic  neatness  is  something 
like  that  of  a  good,  modest  and  talented  old  man,  whom  everybody 
supposed  was  entirely  free  from  pride,  until  some  one  who  was  skep- 
tical on  that  point  made  up  his  mind  to  thoroughly  test  him;  and, 
after  trying  unsuccessfully  in  every  conceivable  way  to  excite  a 

vein  of  vanity,  he  at  last  said  to  him:  "Mr. ,  you  are  the  most 

modest,  humble  and  unassuming  man  I  ever  met."  That  brought 
the  blush  of  pride  to  his  face;  he  was  proud  of  his  meekness;  or,  to 
express  it  in  other  words,  he  was  proud  to  think  he  was  not  proud. 

Exaggeration  has  its  origin  in  approbativeness,  also,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  prevalent  and  annoying  traits  in  human  character. 
The  disposition  to  magnify  a  thing  and  make  a  mountain  jut  of  a 
mole-hill,  is  the  cause  of  many  false  reports  and  slanderous  lies  and 
misstatements  so  often  put  into  circulation,  either  by  gossip  or 
through  the  medium  of  the  press.     A  large  percentage  of  the  ordi- 


114  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND  VANITY. 

nary  lying  that  takes  place  in  the  common  affairs  of  life,  is  done 
through  the  influence  or  desire  of  this  feeling  to  make  a  thing 
appear  big,  and  excite  wonder  and  surprise  in  the  minds  of  others. 
Not  that  people  mean  to  deliberately  lie,  but  that  in  their  desire  to 
say  sometliing  to  attract  attention,  they  over-state  a  thing.  It  also 
causes  people  to  use  words  extravagantly;  to  be  superfluous  in 
speaking  or  writing;  and  even  use  words  that  convey  a  different 
meaning.  One-half  of  the  lies  in  history  which  have  come  down 
to  us,  are  the  result  of  exaggeration  caused  by  a  desire  on  the  part 
of  the  author  to  be  brilliant;  to  surprise  and  charm  his  readers 
rather  than  to  make  exact  statements.  A  great  deal  of  trouble  is 
caused  and  hard  feeling  engendered  between  parties  through  people 
magnifying  things  and  making  careless  or  erroneous  statements. 
A  great  many  business  men  always  make  exaggerated  statements 
in  reference  to  the  amount  of  business  they  are  doing;  praise  up 
their  goods  as  being  far  superior  to  what  they  really  are;  put  the 
best  side  to  view  and  cover  up  any  defects.  Some  of  them  fill 
baskets  with  peaches,  putting  a  few  good  ones  on  the  top,  and  the 
rest  filled  with  green  or  rotten  fruit  of  different  kinds.  Anything 
or  anyway  to  make  an  article  look  inviting,  tempting  or  better  than 
it  really  is.  This  spirit  of  exaggeration  pervades  the  press  to  a 
great  extent,  hence  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  truthfulness  of  reports 
or  statements.  I  have  noticed  this  many  times,  and  particularly  in 
their  descriptions  of  summer  resorts  in  the  early  part  of  the  season. 
To  read  one  of  the  daily  papers  one  would  suppose  the  hotels  were 
about  full,  and  everything  in  full  blast;  but  go  there  and  you  find 
them  about  half  full,  or  hardly  that. 

In  society  gossip,  however,  and  in  ordinary  conversation  is  where 
this  spirit  of  exaggeration  runs  high.  A  woman,  for  instance,  has 
heard  something  which  she  is  aching  to  repeat,  and  the  first  friend 
or  neighbor  she  meets,  she  lets  her  tongue  go  lively,  and  piles  on 
the  adjectives  and  exclamations  heavy,  until  she  makes  her  neighbor 
imagine  she  sees  stars  where  there  are  none.  Or,  perchance,  she 
has  been  visiting  some  city  or  place  where  there  was  lots  to  see; 
like  a  woman  in  Michigan  who  went  to  the  Chicago  Exposition,  and 
saw  a  new  kind  of  stove  with  some  glass  in  the  upper  part,  so  that 
the  baking  process  could  be  watched.  When  she  returned  to  her 
home,  she  told  a  wonderful  story  about  a  glass  stove  that  she  had 
seen,  where  you  could  see  the  fire  burning,  the  pies  bakinif,  and 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  ANt)  VANITY.  tl^ 

everything  about  it  in  full  view.  After  a  few  days  had  passed,  one 
of  the  neighbors  who  had  heard  her  story  and  had  her  curiosity 
excited,  went  to  the  Exposition,  also,  and  walked  up  and  down  the 
aisle  past  the  same  stove  several  times  and  looking  for  it,  and  finally 
enquired  of  the  exhibitor  where  the  "glass  stove"  was  to  be  seen. 
He  told  her  he  guessed  his  stove  was  the  one  she  was  looking  for, 
as  they  had  not  quite  got  to  making  stoves  out  of  glass  yet.  After 
relating  the  above  incident  to  me  he  said,  that  if  a  story  got  to  be 
of  that  size  in  Michigan,  he  did  not  know  what  proportions  it  would 
assume  by  the  time  it  reached  California. 

Conceit  is  what  keeps  millions  of  people  out  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven;  they  are  so  good  in  their  own  estimation  that  they  think 
if  they  have  not  robbed  or  murdered  anybody,  they  have  a  natural 
right  to  an  inheritance  with  the  saints;  those  who,  through  great 
self-denial  and  tribulation,  have  overcome  the  world,  the  flesh  and 
the  devil,  and  won  their  reward.  It  is  this  very  feeling  that  {:»re- 
vents  so  many  from  believing  the  gospel,  as  well  as  many  f  ther 
things  that  are  contrary  to  their  conceited  ideas.  It  is  re  pugnant 
to  the  feelings  and  mind  of  a  self-righteous  man  to  have  to  depend 
on  the  goodness  of  some  other  being  to  make  up  his  deficiencies, 
or  even  for  another  to  insinuate  he  is  not  a  good  man.  He  is  just 
as  sensitive  about  his  goodness,  as  a  belle  is  of  her  beauty.  He 
thinks  he  is  quite  able  to  take  care  of  himself  A  conceited  bather 
at  Atlantic  City  one  summer  evidently  thought  so,  and  ventured 
out  into  the  ocean  beyond  his  depth  and  was  rescued  by  the  life- 
guard  just  in  time  to  save  his  life.  As  I  stood  on  the  beach  and 
saw  him  brought  in  upon  the  shoulders  of  his  physical  savior  in  an 
insensi^Dle  condition,  I  thought  to  myself,  what  a  powerful  lesson  on 
the  conceit  and  frailty  of  man !  It  really  staggers  one  with  be- 
wilderment and  astonishment  to  think  how  desperately  and  blindly 
conceited  people  are.  Why,  two-thirds  of  the  prisoners  in  our  jails 
and  penitentiaries  are,  in  their  own  estimation,  pretty  good  sort  of 
people,  and  I  have  little  doubt  but  what  many  of  them  think  that 
those  who  put  them  there  ought  to  be  in  their  places,  and  scarcely 
any  of  them  think  their  punishment  to  be  just.  As  I  passed  through 
the  penitentiary  on  Blackwell's  Island,  N.  Y.,  I  asked  a  woman 
what  she  was  there  for.  **0,"  said  she,  "a  very  simple  thing.  Some 
lady  accused  me  of  stealing."  Then  I  asked  a  man  what  he  was 
there  for,     "For  nothing,"  he  replied,  **1  was  just  walking  along 


Ilg  FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 

the  street  and  a  policeman  took  hold  of  me  and  arrested  me,  and  1 
was  sent  here."  And  I  expect  if  it  were  possible  for  somebody  to 
pass  through  hell  at  same  future  time  and  should  see  Robert  Inger- 
soll  and  ask  him  what  he  was  there  for,  he  would  say,  "O,  nothing; 
I  simply  told  the  people  in  the  other  world  that  there  was  no  such 
plafce  as  this,  and  one  of  the  Almighty's  angels  grabbed  me  and  cast 
me  in  here."  When  I  look  over  the  world  and  see  the  awful  amount 
of  wickedness,  suffering  and  misery  that  exist,  and  then  remember 
how  good  people  are,  in  their  own  estimation,  I  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  a  good  many  are  fooling  themselves  rather  badly. 
There  is  hardly  a  house  or  family  nowadays  but  what  has  hanging 
on  its  parlor  walls  some  of  those  fancy  scripture  mottoes,  and  that 
is  about  all  the  religion  a  good  many  people  have.  It  suits  their 
conceited  natures  much  better  to  hang  up  religion  outside  of  them, 
where  they  can  look  at  it,  than  it  does  to  carry  it  in  their  hearts. 
People  who  are  living  a  life  of  sin,  and  are  the  very  servants  of  the 
devil,  will  hang  this  familiar  motto  over  their  parlor  door,  "God 
bless  our  home;"  and  if  you  were  to  talk  to  them  about  their  future 
state  and  prospects  they  would  tell  you  at  once  they  expect  to  go 
right  straight  to  heaven  when  they  die,  and  demand  to  know  why 
they  should  not  when  they  never  hurt  anybody,  nor  cheated  any 
person.  Conceit  so  blinds  the  spiritual  or  moral  sense  of  sight, 
that  people's  ideas  of  sm  are  very  weak  and  crude,  and  all  they  can 
seem  to  look  upon  as  sin  are  such  actions  as  get  them  into  jail;  such 
sins  as  find  their  way  into  the  criminal  columns  of  our  newspapers. 
Sins  against  humanity  they  can  see,  but  not  sins  against  Divinity; 
big  sins,  but  not  little  ones.  They  are  something  like  the  girl  who 
on  being  asked  how  she  could  confess  all  her  sins  to  the  priest, 
when  she  could  not  possibly  remember  the  half  of  them,  replied, 
that  she  could  remember  all  the  big  ones  anyway. 

As  I  have  intimated,  it  is  this  disposition  to  exaggerate  that  ad- 
dicts people  to  a  certain  kind  of  lying;  and  it  is  their  wounded  conceil 
that  makes  them  so  intensely  indignant  when  charged  with  lying 
Hence  the  same  organ  that  gives  the  lie  resents  the  charge  and  re- 
taliates on  the  accuser,  or  stirs  up  other  organs  and  propensities  to 
do  it,  such  as  combativeness  and  destructiveness.  A  boasting,  exag- 
gerating, conceited  man  naturally  thinks  his  own  statements  must  be 
correct,  and  it  mortifies  his  pride  to  have  a  person  even  doubt  it,  much 
more  to  call  it  a  deliberate  lie;  and  even  when  he  knows  he  is  telling 


FLATTERY,  CONCEIT  AND  VANITY. 

a  He  he  does  not  regard  it  with  half  the  disgust  that  he  would  if  some 
other  man  had  told  it.  He  looks  upon  it  in  his  own  case  as  a  sort 
of  pardonable  necessity  to  carry  his  point  or  accomplish  his  object. 
The  sins  that  such  a  man  or  woman  commit  are  never  so  hideous 
in  their  own  estimation  as  the  same  sins  committed  by  some  other 
person;  and  that  is  one  reason  why  so  many  sin  with  impunity. 
It  is  this  same  feeling,  combined  with  parental  love,  that  causes 
parents  to  see  the  faults  of  other  people's  children  but  not  those  of 
their  own;  and  to  magnify  the  virtues  and  talents  of  their  own 
children  as  compared  with  those  of  other  people.  This  is  why  so 
many  inconsiderate  parents  will  allow  their  children  to  have  any- 
thing they  want  to  play  with,  soil  and  tear  books,  albums  and  other 
things  lying  on  the  parlor  tables;  and  even  to  take  offense  if  visitors 
and  strangers,  or  persons  they  may  be  living  with,  will  not  allow 
them  to  destroy  their  things  also.  It  does  seem  as  if  some  parents 
were  almost  destitute  of  common  sense,  so  enormous  and  bordering 
on  insanity  is  their  conceit,  pride  and  vanity  over  their  idolized 
children,  whom  they  worship  and  serve  m^ore  than  the  God  who 
gave  them.  They  will  crowd  their  children  upon  the  attention  of 
visitors  and  even  strangers  to  have  special  notice  taken  of  them,  or 
some  complimentary  remark  made  about  their  looks  or  smartness; 
then,  if  the  visitor  or  stranger  does  not  take  as  much  notice  of  them 
as  they  think  he  ought  to,  they  consider  it  a  slight  and  are  offep.ded. 
But  it  is  really  the  imaginary  offense  to  their  own  vanity  they  feel 
grieved  about,  more  than  for  the  feelings  of  their  own  childre.fi.  It 
is  their  selfishness  that  stirs  up  their  displeasure.  Ambition  in 
children  to  show  their  smartness  and  see  how  much  they  can  do, 
not  only  intellectualhy  but  in  some  physical  performance,  often 
terminates  in  trouble  and  even  death.  Like  a  Httle  girl  in  Con- 
necticut, who  was  fond  of  skipping,  and,  child-like,  wanted  to  see 
how  many  times  she  could  jump  the  rope  without  stopping.  She 
did  it  two  hundred  and  fifty  times,  and  was  seized  with  fits  imme- 
diately afterwards.  I  do  not  know  whether  she  died  or  not,  but 
many  a  person's  life  has  been  lost  by  attempting  to  do  some  such 
foolish  thing;  trying  to  do  what  God  never  intended  them  to  do, 
and  what  his  natural  laws  never  fitted  them  to  do.  No  organ  in  the 
brain,  no  faculty  of  the  soul,  needs  educating  more  than  does  the 
organ  of  approbativeness;  and  the  worst  feature  about  the  matter 
IB,  not  a  school,  college  or  pulpit  in  the  civilized  world  attempts  to 


i^S  FLATTERT,  COKCEIT  AND  VAmT?. 

educate  it.     They  all  humor  it  and  pervert  it  just  as  parents  pet, 
humor  and  spoil  their  children. 

The  desire  to  talk  and  whisper  in  j)ubh'c  audiences  when  order 
and  quietness  should  prevail,  is  another  peculiarity  ot  the  perverted 
use  of  the  organ  of  approbativeness.  To  lauL^^h  and  whisper  as 
many  women  do  at  public  lectures  and  church  services,  is  not  only 
very  annoying  to  the  speaker  and  others  sitting  near  them,  but  im- 
modest and  unwomanly.  There  may  be  occasions  when  such  a 
thing  is  necessary  and  excusable,  but  the  whispering,  smiling, 
laughing  business  is  so  common  nowadays,  that  it  seems  impossible 
for  two  women,  especially  young  ladies,  to  sit  beside  each  other  or 
in  company  with  a  gentleman  even  in  a  church,  without  whispering 
and  laughing  whenever  they  see  or  hear  anything  that  suits  their 
fancy,  excites  their  curiosity  or  provokes  their  mirth.  Men  do  this, 
too,  but  it  is  more  prevalent  with  ladies.  A  similar  manifestation 
of  the  same  feeling  is  seen  when  two  persons,  particularly  young 
women,  are  visiting  an  exhibition  or  going  through  a  large  store 
where  there  are  a  variety  of  things  interesting  to  be  seen. 
The  moment  one  sees  an  article  she  thinks  is  specially  worthy  of 
notice,  or  has  some  quality  peculiar  or  funny  about  it,  she  begins  to 
call  or  pull  the  other  one  to  come  and  look  at  it,  no  matter  how 
earnestly  she  may  be  engaged  looking  at  something  that  interests 
her  equally  as  much.  It  is  precisely  the  same  feeling  that  is  man- 
ifested by  children  in  showing  everything  they  have  in  the  shape 
v^  t-oys,  pictures,  books  etc.,  to  visitors  as  well  as  to  their  parents. 
A  kuni.cJ  ^'^eljne  '^"'^kcs  people  anxious  to  circulate  news,  to  be  the 
first  to  tell  bt/riiccning  strange  and  wonderful,  especially  if  it  is  a 
scandal  or  anything  bad  abo' ^  their  neighbors.  It  is  the  cause  of 
women  and  girls  telling  what  another  says  or  does  to  them,  es- 
pecially what  a  gentleman  does  or  says,  and  frequently  making 
considerable  fuss  about  a  small  thing.  Like  a  cook  in  New  Jersey, 
who  told  her  mother  the  minister  she  was  working  for  often  kissed 
her  (she  must  have  enjoyed  it  or  she  would  not  have  submitted  so 
often).  Her  mother  told  her  to  tell  his  wife  if  he  did  it  again;  she 
did,  the  wife  flew  into  a  rage  and  raised  a  matrimonial  storm,  and 
then  the  church  committee  asked  him  to  resign.  Thus  the  happi- 
ness of  a  family  was  broken  up  and  a  minister's  usefulness  termi- 
nated in  that  place,  at  any  rate,  all  because  that  servant  had  cooked 
every  thing  but  her  own  tongue.     I  am  not  advocating  that  minis- 


FLATTERY,   CONCEIT  AND  VANITY.  II9 

ters  should  kiss  their  cooks,  but  it  seems  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
if  she  had  really  objected  to  being  kissed,  she  would  have  enforced 
that  objection  on  the  first  attempt,  and  not  after  it  had  been  done 
several  times.  The  fact,  I  should  judge,  was  that  she  felt  compli- 
mented and  just  ached  to  tell  somebody  that  she  had  been  kissed 
by  a  minister;  and  that,  in  connection  with  a  feeling  that  his  mar- 
riage made  the  act  improper,  urged  her  to  tell  her  mother.  And 
the  whole  three  of  these  women,  cook,  mother  and  wife,  if  the  story 
as  reported  in  the  papers  was  true,  acted  rashly  and  unwisely. 
When  a  woman  objects  to  being  kissed,  or  any  man  is  imprudent 
enough  to  attempt  improprieties,  there  is  a  way  to  check  such  ad- 
vances without  telling  and  exciting  the  whole  community  and  rais- 
ing a  huge  scandal;  it  only  makes  a  mountain  out  of  a  mole-hill  and 
does  the  community  and  country  ten  times  more  harm  than  good. 
All  these  manifestations  of  the  same  faculty  spring  from  a  conceit- 
ed, show-off,  selfish  kind  of  feeling,  to  call  the  attention  of  others  to 
what  they  see,  think  or  feel,  or  what  has  been  done  to  them.  Hence 
the  pleasure  people  with  large  approbativeness  take  in  whispering 
and  directing  the  attention  of  their  companions  to  whatsoever  is 
attractive  or  impressive  to  them,  is  really  a  vain  and  selfish  pleas- 
ure generally  gratified  at  the  expense  and  annoyance  of  others. 
Women  do  not  get  angry  at  being  kissed  unless  done  by  a  man 
they  dislike,  or  at  a  time  or  on  an  occasion  they  deem  inopportune, 
and  the  same  faculty  or  feeling  that  would  cause  them  to  take  of- 
fense at  being  kissed,  would  also  be  wounded  if  they  were  not 
kissed  when  they  wanted  to  be.  Behold  how  great  a  fire  a  little 
matter  kindleth,  and  the  ambitious,  tell-tale  mongers  are  the  ones 
who  do  it. 

The  love  of  power  and  authority,  and  desire  to  control,  govern, 
command  and  order  others,  is  still  anotner  manifestation  of  appro- 
bativeness. It  is  seen  to  perfection  in  the  army;  hence  the  numer- 
ous and  constant  jealousies  that  spring  up  among  the  officers. 
Politics  is  another  grand  field  for  the  display  of  this  feeling.  How 
men  will  fight  and  tear  each  other  to  pieces,  morally  and  intellect- 
ually, to  gain  control  of  the  government,  the  disbursement  of  offices, 
or  to  be  the  leaders  of  their  party!  Think  of  the  schemes  resorted 
to,  the  tricks  that  are  played,  the  lies  that  are  told  at  every  elec- 
tion to  gain  votes,  and  through  them  a  place  of  power,  authority, 
and  honor  1     But  as  the  newspapf  rf  sx^  constantly  full  @f  political 


120  FLATTERY,   CONCEIT   AND  VANITY. 

and  military  struggles  for  superiority,  and  numerous  works  are 
devoted  to  that  subject,  it  is  useless  for  me  to  enlarge  upon  it  here. 
School  boards  also  furnish  illustrations  of  this  ruling  passion,  and 
some  of  the  members  will  become  as  jealous  of  their  little  bit  of 
authority  as  a  dog  is  of  his  bone,  or  a  cat  of  her  morsel  of  meat. 
Let  one  member  take  upon  himself  to  do  a  thing,  or  exercise  a 
little  more  than  his  share  of  authority  without  consulting  the  rest, 
or  at  least  a  certain  conceited  member  in  it,  and  there  will  be 
almost  a  prize  fight  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  board. 

The  sense  of  shame  may  be  attributed  to  this  organ  also. 
Shame  is  the  result  of  the  faculty  of  approbativeness  being  alive  to 
the  fact  that  something  has  been  done  or  said  which  brings  censure 
and  displeasure  instead  of  praise  and  commendation,  which  makes 
the  individual  feel  small,  look  confused  or  at  a  disadvantage.  The 
sense  of  guilt,  shame  and  remorse  are  kindred  feelings,  all  arising 
from  the  interruption  and  wounding  of  this  faculty.  Guilt  and  re- 
morse, however,  are  caused  by  the  quickening  of  the  faculty  of 
conscientiousness  in  connection  with  approbativeness.  A  large 
percentage  of  honesty  is  also  due  to  approbativeness  rather  than  to 
conscientiousness  ;  for,  after  all,  the  influencing  motive  with  many 
people  and  in  many  instances  is  not  so  much  the  principle  of  right 
because  it  is  right,  as  the  feeling,  "what  will  people  say,  and  how 
will  they  teeat  me  if  I  do  wrong."  So  dreading  the  odium  that 
wrong  acts  would  bring  upon  them,  they  refrain  from  doing  what 
they  would  otherwise  do. 

Funeral  vanity  belongs  to  this  family  of  evils  also.  Of  all  occa- 
sions and  places  where  vanity  ought  to  hide  its  worthless  head,  it 
is  surely  at  the  grave.  But  fashion  says  :  No,  I  will  honor  the 
carcass  more  than  the  living  body.  When  living  he  is  criticised 
and  censured  without  mercy;  but  when  dead,  pride  and  vanity 
strew  his  path  with  flowers  and  enroll  him  among  the  saints  of 
heaven.  So  heavy  has  this  show-off  spirit  made  funeral  expenses, 
that  it  costs  more  to  die  than  to  get  married.  Poor  people  and 
those  in  middle  life  are  often  taxed  to  their  utmost  to  know  how 
to  give  their  relatives  a  decent  burial,  according  to  the  customs  of 
society,  and  defray  the  useless  expenses  attached  thereto.  When 
a  man  is  going  to  be  married  he  can  take  time  to  prepare  for  it,  as 
he  can  postpone  it ;  but  men  cannot  postpone  dying  or  the 
expenses  gi  %  funeral.    These  gom?  generally  without  warning,  and 


FLATTKKV,  CO.NlLIT.AND  VANITY.  121 

all  the  pomp  that  the  wealthy  may  lavish  upon  their  deceased 
friends  is  so  short-lived  that  it  is  scarcely  worth  while  to  bestow 
it,  especially  as  the  dead  cannot  appreciate.  A  great  many  of 
these  costly  expressions  of  sympathy  and  mourning  at  funerals  are 
done  for  show,  and  very  often  there  is  little  real  heart-grief  about 
the  whole  affair.  In  the  case  of  the  death  of  a  king,  queen,  or 
president,  a  good  deal  of  the  public  sympathy,  as  expressed,  or 
supposed  to  be,  in  the  draping  of  stores,  is  all  show,  and  done  as 
much  for  advertising  as  for  mourning;  hence  great  pains  is  taken 
to  trim  the  place  so  as  to  attract  attention.  As  to  whether  mourn- 
ing decorations,  used  as  a  means  of  advertising,  are  right  or  wrong, 
I  am  not  discussing  here ;  but  am  simply  calling  attention  to  the 
fact  that  business  and  sympathy  are  pretty  well  mixed  up  in  public 
calamities  and  manifestations  of  sorrow.  So  that  even  in  funerals, 
where  the  tenderest  feelings  of  the  soul  are  supposed  to  be  awak- 
ened, vanity  and  selfishnes-s  go  hand  in  hand  and  rise  to  public 
gaze. 

My  object  in  this  chapter  has  been  to  call  the  attention  of  people 
to  the  various  forms  of  this  besetting  sin,  that  they  who  will  may 
at  least  siodify,  if  not  exterminate,  the  evil. 


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THE  TRUE  AND  SPIRITUAL  EYE. 

When  the  eyelids,  especially  the  upper,  are  well  defined,  and  retire  under  the  eye- 
bone,  leaving  an  open  space  as  seen  in  this  cut,  there  will  generally  be  found  a  frank, 
sincere  and  refined  nature,  with  an  amorous  disposition.  The  love  feeling,  however,  will 
be  spiritual  and  refined.  But  in  the  worldly,  cunning  eye  shown  below,  which  forms  a 
contrast  to  this  one,  the  love  passion  will  be  impure,  gross  and  licentious.  In  some  forms 
similar  to  the  above  eye,  will  be  found  a  voluptuous  nature,  which,  if  not  controlled,  may 
lead  to  lust  and  dishonesty.  The  true  character,  as  expressed  by  the  eye,  must  be  dis- 
cerned psychologically  as  well  as  physiognomically.  No  matter  how  beautiful  and  perfect 
the  form  of  the  eye  may  be,  once  the  soul  becomes  corrupted  the  psychological  expression 
of  it  will  soon  become  impure;  and  so  a  badly  formed  eye  may  transmit  a  good  expression 
if  morality  is  developed  in  the  soul. 


THE  DECEITFUL,  LYING  EYE. 


An  eye  that  has  a  fullness  between  the  upper  lid  and  brow,  and  in  which  there  is  not 
a  distinct,  well-defined  lid  as  it  recedes  under  the  brow,  will  be  found  to  be  evasive  and 
have  a  strong  tendency  to  lie  and  deceive.  There  will  also  be  a  good  deal  of  animal 
cunning  —  that  shrewd,  knowing  disposition  that  enables  persons  to  accomplish  their 
purpose  by  a  sort  of  maneuvering,  evasive,  dodging,  tricky  cast  of  mind.  Animal  cunning 
is  the  very  opposite  to  a  frank,  spiritual  and  straightfonvard  nature.  It  will  take  consid- 
erable moral  training  to  prevent  such  an  eye  as  the  above  from  lying,  if  not  from  stealing. 
An  irreligious,  unprincipled,  licentious  nature  is  frequently  found  with  this  class  of  eyes. 
There  seems  to  be  a  variety  of  eyes  of  this  order,  differing  slightly  in  form,  but  possess- 
ing a  similar  character- 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 


The  Important  question — Money  whiat  all  Men  labor  for — The  Selfishness  of  Men— The 
Secret  of  Success — The  difference  in  Talent  between  Doing  Business  and  Managing 
it — Bad  Beginning  versus  Ending — Getting  into  vne  Wrong  Occupation,  and  its 
Results — In  a  hurry  to  get  Rich — Time  wasted  trying  to  find  out  what  one  is  fit 
for — Health,  and  its  relation  to  Business — Self- Knowledge — Danger  of  Speculation 
— A  General  Knowledge  of  Mankind — A  Business  Man's  Experience — Value  of  In- 
telligent Female  ITelp — Qualities  of  a  good  Salesman — How  they  Sell  Goods — Why 
those  who  Buy  Goods  should  understand  Human  Niture — How  to  hire  Help — How 
to  study  Human  Nature — The  School  Superintendent  who  was  taken  in  by  a  Con- 
fidence Man — Understanding  one's  Business — Mistakes  of  some  Beginners  in  Busi- 
ness— Wltere  to  do  Business,  and  why  some  Business  Enterprises  and  Institutions 
Fail — Outside  Appearances  have  a  good  deal  to  do  with  Success — So  has  the  Study 
of  Local  Geography — The  amount  of  Capital  necessary — The  Executive  Power  in 
Business — Value  of  Perseverance  and  Push — Tricks  of  Advertising — The  Ability  to 
cany  out  Plans — Concentration  of  Effort — Sticking  to  one  thing — Square  dealing 
or  Integrity  in  business — Punctuality  in  meeting  Engagements  and  in  paying  Bills — 
The  Business  Value  of  Time — The  Lawyer  and  School  Teacher— Economy  in  Busi- 
ness— Foresight  and  Calculation — Counting  the  Cost—  Intuition,  or  First  Impres- 
sions— Good  and  Regular  Habits — Quickness  of  Apprehension  and  Decision. 


There  is  probably  no  question  that  concerns  the  masses  more 
than  how  t®  succeed  in  Hfe,  and  none  concerning  which  there  is 
less  definite  knowledge.  Not  only  each  individual,  but  all  classes 
of  people  and  all  nations  are  battling  with  the  difficulties  of  life,  and 
taxing  their  brains  to  solve  that  most  perplexing  problem— financial 
success.  For  I  care  not  in  what  avocation  a  man  may  be  engaged, 
money  is  the  object  desired.  The  laborer,  the  merchant,  the  me- 
chanic, the  artist,  the  scholar,  and  even  the  minister  are  all  in  pur- 
suit of  that  commercial  article  with  which  they  can  purchase  food 
to  eat,  clothes  to  wear,  and  the  various  luxuries  of  life.  I  do  not 
say  that  money  is  the  sole  object  of  every  man's  life.  Some  make 
money  their  god,  but  others  seek  it  simply  as  a  necessary  means  of 
support,  with  which  to  satisfy  the  wants  of  the  body  and  enable 
them  to  employ  their  talents  in  the  pursuit  and  accomplishment  of 
higher  and  nobler  ends.  Be  that  as  it  may,  money  or  its  equivalent 
is  the  one  general  aim  of  the  whole  race;  and  the  strugg^le  that  i» 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AIVD  FAfLURa.  i^ 

constantly  going  on  in  the  commercial  world  between  individuais, 
communities  and  nations,  as  to  which  shall  receive  the  lion's  share, 
is  like  the  desperate  contest  between  two  or  more  armies  in  which 
some  are  slain,  some  wounded  and  some  victorious.  So  in  the  bus- 
iness struggle  for  success,  some  rise  to  wealth  and  commercial  em- 
inence, some  struggle  through  life  with  many  ups  and  downs,  while 
others  fail  in  almost  everything  they  touch,  and  scarcely  keep  the 
wolf  of  hunger  and  want  from  their  doors. 

I  never  knew  or  realized  how  selfish  men  are,  how  strong  their 
passion  for  money  and  success,  and  how  desperately  they  strive  to 
climb  over  each  other  in  business  life  till  one  morning  I  entered 
the  stock  exchange  in  New  York.  It  looked  as  though  Bedlam  was 
let  loose,  and  they  were  all  ready  to  take  each  other  by  the  throat, 
so  intensely  anxious  were  the  bulls  and  bears  to  carry  their  point. 
They  reminded  me  of  a  reported  scene  that  took  place  at  the  terri- 
ble boat  disaster  at  London,  Canada,  May  24th,  1881.  Hundreds 
had  been  precipitated  into  the  water  and  were  climbing  on  top  of 
one  another  to  reach  the  surface  and  the  shore,  and  among  the 
struggling  mass  of  beings  was  a  small  lad  who,  in  his  fall  into  the 
water  struck  on  the  back  of  a  gentleman;  the  man  feeling  the  weight 
on  his  back  rather  heavy,  and  not  knowing  what  it  was,  tried  violently 
to  free  himself;  but  the  little  fellow  in  desperation  hung  on  with  a 
death  grip,  and  with  the  man  reached  the  shore  in  safety.  Thus  in 
financial  life,  especially  when  disasters  overtake  men  or  a  panic 
sweeps  over  the  land,  men  climb  over  one  another  and  hang  on  to 
each  other  with  all  the  intensity  of  desperation,  that  they  may  reach 
the  goal  of  success  and  avoid  failure. 

There  is  always  a  good  reason  why  one  man  succeeds  and  an- 
other fails.  It  is  because  one  understands  business  principles  and 
rules,  and  knows  how  to  apply  them  better  than  another.  And  it 
is  to  some  of  these  rules,  principles  and  requirements,  that  I  wish 
to  call  the  attention  of  the  reader.  In  the  first  place  all  men  are 
not  qualified  for  a  business  life,  do  not  know  how  to  carry  on  and 
manage  a  business  for  themselves.  There  are  a  great  many  who 
are  better  fitted  to  do  business  for  others,  than  for  themselves;  that 
is,  they  can  do  the  work,  but  are  not  capable  of  managing  the  finan- 
cial part.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  the  ability  to  make  a 
thing  and  the  ability  to  draw  custom,  to  buy,  sell  and  dispose  of 
manufactured  articles.     The  one  requires  skiil  anti  tact,  the  other? 


126  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  fAILURfi. 

judgment  and  push  or  force.  Here  is  where  a  great  many  make  a 
mistake;  they  do  not  distinguish  between  talent  for  doing  things 
and  talent  for  managing  things.  Hence  quite  a  number  who  fail  in 
business  for  themselves,  might  be  successful  doing  the  same  thing 
for  others.  In  other  words,  a  man  might  steer  a  ship  quite  well 
and  safely,  but  were  he  to  attempt  to  be  a  pilot,  he  would  very 
likely  run  her  on  the  rocks  and  to  destruction.  It  takes  a  different 
kind  of  knowledge  to  pilot  a  vessel  than  what  it  does  to  steer  it. 
A  man  may  know  comparatively  nothing  about  the  structure  of  a 
ship,  or  even  the  control  of  it,  but  if  he  knows  all  the  dangerous 
places  in  the  bay  or  channel,  and  the  course  to  be  pursued  to  avoid 
them,  he  is  fit  to  be  pilot,  though  other  men  may  man  the  vessel, 
do  the  work  on  it,  or  engineer  the  machinery  of  a  steamer  much 
better  than  he  could.  Business  tact  is  not  mechanical  skill  nor  in- 
tellectual ability,  nor  both  combined.  It  is  a  peculiar  and  special 
talent.  And  the  man  who  contemplates  starting  in  business  for 
himself  had  better  find  out  before  he  begins  whether  he  possesses 
that  kind  of  business  talent  or  not,  otherwise  he  may  lose  his  time 
and  money,  and  probably  the  friends  who  helped  him  and  then  lost 
faith  in  him,  if  not  money  as  well.  I  would  not  say  by  any  means, 
that  a  failure  in  starting  out  in  life  always  indicates  poor  business 
tact,  any  more  than  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  indicated  the  power  of 
the  South,  or  the  weakness  and  failure  of  the  North.  A  bad  be- 
ginning often  makes  a  good  ending;  and  very  often  the  difficulties 
and  failures  that  beset  men  at  the  start,  work  to  their  success  in  the 
end,  providing  they  have  enough  practical  talent  to  profit  by  their 
experience,  and  see  where  and  how  to  do  better  in  the  future. 
There  are  a  great  many,  however,  who  thoughtlessly  and  conceit- 
edly jump  into  business  with  false  ideas,  having  neither  pluck  nor 
tact,  and  such  will  fail  and  fail,  till  eventually,  like  a  drowning  man, 
they  will  sink  to  rise  no  more. 

Another  difficulty  is,  that  men  and  women  get  into  the  wrong 
occupation,  or  pursuit,  or  profession — the  one  for  which  nature 
never  intended  them,  and  for  which  they  have  little  talent.  How 
then  can  they  expect  to  be  successful  when  out  of  place  and 
trying  to  do  what  they  cannot  do?  Think  of  the  hundreds  of 
accidents  and  the  immense  loss  of  life  annually  through  men 
being  in  the  wrong  place!  Men  get  into  positions  on  railroads 
and    steamboats    who,  through  carelessness  or  deficient  talent 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  12/ 

cause  accidents  that  hurl  men,  women  and  children  by  hundreds 
into  eternity.  In  such  a  case  not  only  is  the  individual  himself 
affected  by  his  being  in  the  wrong  place,  but  society  is  frequently 
a  much  greater  sufferer.  A  man's  family,  if  he  has  one,  suffers 
also,  because  he  will  not  make  pis  much  money,  as  a  rule,  in  the 
wrong  calling  as  he  would  in  the  right;  hence  it  is  a  serious 
mistake  for  himself,  his  family  and  society,  when  he  gets  into  the 
wrong  place.  It  is  a  bad  thing  for  the  nation,  frequently,  when  men 
get  into  prominent  positions  and  are  not  fit  for  them.  The  wrong 
man  at  the  head  of  an  army  would  be  terribly  disastrous  to  the 
whole  country,  and  might  cost  it  its  liberty.  Napoleon  always 
selected  his  generals  by  their  noses.  He  wanted  no  men  with  short, 
flat,  insignificant  noses  for  commanders  and  fighters,  and  he  was 
right.  So  if  a  man  wants  to  be  a  speculator  or  general  business 
man,  he  must  see  that  he  has  the  right  kind  of  a  nose  on  his  face 
before  he  begins,  or  somebody  that  has  a  better  business  nose  will 
scalp  him  pretty  badly.  Many  a  man  who  goes  on  a  board  of 
trade  to  speculate  and  is  not  fit  for  it,  loses  his  little  all  in  a  single 
deal  or  in  a  day,  leaving  the  scene  of  action  a  wiser  but  sadder 
man. 

There  are  too  many  in  the  world  who  want  to  get  rich  too  fast. 
They  are  not  satisfied  to  make  money  in  a  safe  and  reasonable  way. 
They  must  make  it  in  a  lump,  and  they  often  lose  what  they  have 
in  a  lump  too,  because  their  selfish  and  ambitious  natures  overbal- 
ance their  talent  and  judgment,  when  they  get  about  half  crazy 
and  take  great  risks.  Business  gambling  is  just  as  risky  and  dan- 
gerous as  any  other  kind  of  gambling.  A  good  many  people  spend 
half,  two-thirds,  and  sometimes  the  whole  of  their  life  trying  to 
find  out  what  they  are  fit  for,  and  thus  they  go  on  blundering 
through  the  world  from  one  thing  to  another,  wasting  their  time 
and  energy.  How  much  better  this  world  would  be  if  everybody 
was  in  the  right  place!  How  much  happier  people  would  be;  how 
much  more  successful  they  would  be,  and  how  much  less  real  pov- 
erty, misery  and  even  crime  would  exist ! 

The  first  among  the  conditions  and  qualifications  which  I  pro- 
pose to  enumerate  as  essential  to  the  successful  business  man  is 
Health.  What  can  one  do  or  accomplish  with  a  broken  down 
constitution  ?  or  how  much  energy  can  he  manifest  with  a  weak 
•tomach,  livery  heart  or  lungs  ?     People  do  not  realize  how  much 


t$$  BUbiiNESS   SUCCEbb  AxND   i-AlLURE. 

they  lose  every  year  through  poor  health,  loss  of  tim«,  money. 
pleasure  or  happiness.  True,  many  of  them  toil  on  and  battle 
against  the  weakness  of  the  flesh  by  force  of  will  and  ambition,  but 
they  only  shorten  their  days,  and  by  the  time  they  have  provided 
themselves  with  a  comfortable  home,  or  made  a  fortune,  they  die 
and  leave  their  hard,  wearisome  earnings  to  others.  Many  a  man 
has  built  him  a  beautiful  house  to  live  in,  and  about  the  time  it  was 
finished,  sometimes  before,  he  has  found  his  bodily  home  to  be 
underneath  the  ground.  Nervous  prostration,  consumption,  of 
heart  disease  has  carried  him  off.  Look  into  the  faces  of  a  large 
proportion  of  business  men  and  women  and  you  can  read  the  sad 
story  of  an  overworked  body  and  brain.  They  are  pushing  busi- 
ness at  the  expense  of  health  and  happiness.  And  tell  me,  reader, 
what  good  is  money  if  you  are  too  sick  and  feeble  to  enjoy  it  ?  I 
remember  a  lady  I  once  met  in  my  travels,  worth  a  quarter  of  a 
million,  but  her  stomach  was  so  weak  that  she  dare  not  eat  solid 
food.  She  would  have  been  a  much  happier  woman  with  less 
money  and  stronger  digestive  organs.  Life  to  her  was  almost 
misery,  and  if  she  had  been  obliged  to  make  her  own  way  in  the 
world  she  would  have  found  it  pretty  up-hill  work. 

A  healthy  man,  other  things  being  equal,  can  certainly  accom- 
plish more  than  a  sick  man,  not  merely  through  vital  force,  which 
imparts  strength  and  the  disposition  to  labor,  but  on  account  of 
brain  qualities.  He  thinks  better  and  clearer  and  more  intelli- 
gently, sees  things  in  a  different  light,  and  knows  better  what  to 
do,  and  has  greater  resolution  and  determination  to  do  it.  The 
sick  man  is  easily  depressed  and  soured  in  disposition;  then  he 
becomes  irritable,  peevish,  fault-finding,  hard  to  please,  borrows 
trouble  and  goes  half  way  to  meet  it,  especially  if  his  Cautiousness 
is  large;  but  the  healthy  man  looks  on  the  bright  side  of  the  pic- 
ture and  takes  a  more  hopeful  view  of  things.  Think  of  the  num- 
ber every  year  who  have  to  give  up  business  or  go  into  something 
else  on  account  of  their  bad  health.  About  two-thirds  of  such 
cases  are  owing  to  downright  negligence  on  their  part;  they  studied 
money-making,  but  not  themselves.  In  their  anxiety  to  do  busi- 
ness they  overreached  the  mark,  and  in  the  end  lost  by  it;  whereas, 
had  they  taken  care  of  themselves  they  might  have  continued  on 
in  their  first  calling  and  eventually  succeeded.  There  are  plenty 
of  business  people  who  hardly  give  themselves  tin^e  to  eat,  and 


fiUSINfiSS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  I2g 

do  not  take  as  much  care  of  their  own  stomachs  and  bodies  as  they 
do  of  their  horses  and  pet  dogs,  cats  and  birds.  No  man  can  afford 
to  be  sick,  whether  he  be  rich  or  poor.  His  time  is  vahiable  either 
to  himself,  his  family,  or  society,  and  to  waste  that  time,  or  a  part 
of  it,  through  violation  of  natural  laws  is  a  sin  against  himself,  his 
Maker,  and  his  couritry.  A  sickly  body  and  despondent  mind  ha.-. 
been  the  cause  of  many  a  suicide,  because  business  cares  and 
troubles  weigh  heavily  upon  such  persons  and  produce  a  species  ol 
insanity;  hence  a  healthy  mind,  which  can  only  be  obtained  througn 
a  healthy  body,  is  essential  to  success  in  any  sphere  in  life.  No 
weak,  sickly  man  can  be  as  great  and  powerful  in  any  position,  pro- 
fession or  business  as  a  healthy,  vigorous  man  can.  Great  orators, 
statesmen  and  singers  generally  have  large  chest  capacity;  that 
is,  one  of  the  essential  qualities  to  complete  or  perfect  success  and 
greatness  in  either  the  literary  or  business  world  is  a  well-devel- 
oped chest.  A  large  chest  is  one  of  the  signs  of  longevity;  so  let 
those  who  wish  to  hold  out  in  life's  struggle,  and  live  long  enough 
to  reap  the  reward  of  their  toil,  cultivate  chest  power  by  strength- 
ening the  heart  and  lungs.  Famous  race-horses  have  powerful 
hearts  and  lungs,  which  are  just  as  essential  in  winning  a  victory 
as  speed,  because  the  latter  needs  the  former  to  give  endurance; 
otherwise  the  animal  would  be  exhausted  in  a  short  distance,  leav- 
ing the  slower  but  stronger  horse  to  win  the  race.  So  in  the  race 
and  contest  of  life,  men  need  strong,  steady,  enduring  powers  of 
mind  and  body  as  well  as  activity  and  keen  perception;  otherwise 
their  labors  and  growing  success  will  be  nipped  in  the  bud. 

The  second  element  of  success  is  self-knowledge,  for  no  man 
need  expect  to  climb  far  up  the  ladder  of  fame  with(^ut  knowing 
himself,  his  excesses  and  deficiencies,  how  to  use  himself  and  make 
the  most  of  himself  He  must  as  thoroughly  understand  his  own 
brain  mechanism  and  how  to  control  it  as  the  engineer  does  his 
engine,  or  the  mechanic  his  tools  or  machine.  A  man  ought  to 
know  whether  he  is  thinking  right  on  a  subject  or  not,  and  he  would 
know  if  he  understood  his  mental  faculties  properly.  And  i  claim 
that  the  science  of  phrenology  will  enable  a  man  to  understand  his 
peculiarities  much  better  than  any  other  system  of  philosophy  or 
kind  of  education.  When  you  know  the  strength  of  every  faculty, 
the  size  of  every  organ,  and  the  relation  they  bear  to  each  other  in 
their  combined  and  individual  action,  you  can  easily  see  and  under- 


130  fiUSlNESS  SUCCESS  AND  PAltURE, 

stand  why  you  think  as  you  do  on  a  certain  subject,  why  you  havd 
a  desire  to  do  one  thing  and  not  another;  and  then  knowing  the 
cause  and  source  of  your  thoughts,  motives  and  desires,  you  know 
whether  they  are  right  or  wrong;  not  in  every  instance  and  par- 
ticular but  in  matters  generally.  Suppose  for  instance  a  man  is 
deficient  in  concentration  or  continuity,  which  is  the  faculty  that 
gives  patience  and  the  disposition  to  stick  to  one  thing;  but  has 
large  ambition,  which  imparts, a  desire  to  go  ahead  and  to  be  some- 
thing or  somebody,  or  to  do  some  great  thing;  what  would  be  the 
result  of  such  a  combination  of  power  and  weakness  in  business  or 
in  life?  Just  this:  the  individual  on  going  into  business  would 
want  and  expect  to  do  big  things  right  away;  he  would  have  no 
patience  to  work  up  by  degrees,  and  if  things  didn't  meet  his  ex- 
pectations or  go  as  he  wanted  them  to,  he  would  be  restless,  dissat- 
isfied and  spasmodic  in  his  efforts  and  soon  give  it  up  and  go  into 
something  else;  turning  himself  into  a  sort  of  business  flea,  jump- 
ing about  and  biting  at  one  thing  after  another,  but  never  accom- 
plishing anything;  or  he  would  turn  his  hand  to  all  sorts  of  things 
and  be  jack  of  all  trades  and  master  of  none.  And  this  is  what 
thousands  of  people  are  doing  all  over  the  country.  Now,  if  these 
people  really  knew  and  realized  how  large  ambition  and  small 
patience  affected  them  in  thought  and  action,  they  could  and  would 
by  force  of  will  and  judgment  counteract  the  unnatural  tendency  to 
change,  and  to  disconnectedness  of  thought  and  purpose,  and  stick 
to  one  thing.  Then  they  would  most  likely  through  perseverance 
eventually  succeed;  providing  they  used  caution  and  common 
sense  in  starting  right  to  begin  with. 

Take  another  illustration :  here  is  a  man  well  on  in  years  who 
has  done  well  and  accumulated  a  good  sum  of  money  or  its  equiv- 
alent in  property,  more  than  enough  to  enable  him  to  live  in  luxury 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  but  he  sees  a  chance  to  speculate  and  in 
a  moment  of  excitement  he  assumes  great  risks;  becomes  involved 
in  financial  difficulty  and  finally  is  a  total  bankrupt.  Like  a  wealthy 
banker  1  once  heard  of,  a  gray-haired  man,  who  was  not  content 
with  what  he  had,  even  in  old  age,  but  must  needs  invest  heavily 
in  some  speculative  enterprise  till  he  lost  everything,  even  his 
house  and  lot,  and  had  not  a  roof  left  to  cover  himself  or  his  family, 
nor  a  dollar  save  about  eight  or  ten  which  his  wife  had  in  her 
pocketbook.     Now,  in  one  sense  1  have  Httle  sympathy  for  a  man 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  I3I 

of  his  years  and  business  experience  who,  commi^tin^  such  a  foolish 
and  rash  act,  leaves  himself  destitute.  It  simply  goes  to  show  that 
even  old  age  and  vvorlJiy  experience  is  not  sufficient  to  give  a  man 
a  ktiowledge  of  himself  Had  that  banker  known  how  unbalanced 
his  mind  was,  his  common  sense  would  have  prevented  his  plunging 
himself  into  the  terrible  financial  disaster  and  ruin  which  brought 
sorrow  and  misery  to  his  declining  years.  It  seems  almost  incred- 
ible that  a  man  would  risk  his  last  dollar  in  the  hope  that  he  might 
possibly  double  it,  with  nothing  more  for  security  than  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  which  he  might  or  might  not  see  through  or 
understand,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  no  person  would  do  it  unless 
blinded  by  a  conceit  of  his  own  judgment  and  ability.  And  the 
only  way  foV  a  man  to  prevent  himself  from  running  against  the 
rocks  that  beset  his  business  pathway  is  to  know  all  the  peculiar- 
ities of  his  mind,  his  strong  and  weak  points  combined  with  a  gen- 
eral knowledge  of  the  world  and  business  principles.  Selfishness 
and  ambition  is  so  large  or  strong  in  some  people  that  it  overbal- 
ances their  cautiousness  and  judgment;  hence,  they  get  into  busi- 
ness over  their  heads,  so  to  speak,  and  are  strangled  before  they 
reach  the  glittering  prize.  In  this  way  thousands  have  sank  to  rise 
no  more,  and  I  suppose  thousands  more  will  do  the  same  foolish 
thing,  because  there  are  few  men  who  seem  to  benefit  by  the  ex- 
perience of  others.  They  seem  to  think  themselves  too  smart  to 
be  caught  in  the  same  trap  some  other  knowing  fox  was  slain  in. 
Like  a  young  man  I  remember  who  started  in  business,  backed  up 
with  capital  by  his  mother,  but  who  lacked  management  and  busi- 
ness tact,  and  was  too  free  and  easy  in  his  way.  After  he  had  been 
running  the  place  awhile  I  ventured  to  tell  him  that  if  he  did  not 
look  out  he  would  run  it  into  the  ground.  He  was  angry  at  my 
statement,  and  remarked  in  a  bragging  way  that  he  knew  what 
he  was  about,  but  it  was  not  long  afterward  before  he  closed  up 
business,  or  it  closed  him  up,  in  that  place.  Let  every  man  and 
woman  take  heed  to  that  motto  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  "  Know 
Thyself,"  which  they  wrote  over  the  doors  of  their  temples! 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered  as  essential  to  success  in  life  is 
suggested  in  the  statement  of  Pope  when  he  says,  "The  proper 
study  of  mankind  is  man."  Therefore  in  addition  to,  and  closely 
connected  with,  the  study  and  knowledge  of  ourselves,  comes  the 
study  ^nd  knowledge  of  pthers.    As  hunian  nature  is  pretty  much 


h^  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

the  same  in  many  respects  all  over  the  world,  it  naturally  follows 
that  when  we  study  our  own  natures  we  indirectly  study  others, 
and  studying  others  helps  us  in  turn  to  understand  ourselves. 
This  kind  of  knowledge  and  the  time  we  spend  in  acquiring  it,  is  a 
paying  investment,  and  will  bring  its  own  reward.  No  one  can  af- 
ford to  be  ignorant  of  human  nature  and  character,  because  it  is  the 
pass-key  to  success,  not  only  in  business  but  in  all  the  walks  and 
callings  of  life.  It  is  certainly  of  great  importance  to  every  person 
to  know  who  to  trust,  who  to  put  confidence  in,  and  who  not.  Ig- 
norance of  human  nature,  or  the  motives  and  principles  that  actuate 
and  govern  men  is  the  royal  road  to  ruin.  And  how  few  there  are 
v\'ho  have  not  lost  time,  money  and  property,  and  experienced 
considerable  trouble,  by  not  knowing  the  man  or  men  they  had  to 
deal  with  until  they  found  them  out  by  sad  experience.  A  business 
man  ought  to  study  the  habits  of  people  and  the  motives  and  prin- 
ciples tliat  underlie  human  actions  just  as  much  as  he  studies  his 
business,  and  wide-awake,  successful  men,  as  a  rule,  do.  1  have 
met  men  professionally,  who  have  told  me  after  examining  their 
heads,  that  they  owed  and  attributed  their  success  largely  to  their 
knowledge  of  human  nature.  In  order  to  know  how  to  deal  with 
men,  and  how  to  manage  them,  it  is  necessary  to  know  their  dispo- 
sition and  peculiarities  of  mind,  which  can  be  discerned  from  the 
face,  conversation,  and  manner  in  general.  A  wholesale  clothing 
man  once  told  me  that  he  knew  whether  to  trust  a  man  with  goods 
or  not,  by  talking  with  him  five  minutes  and  taking  a  good  look  at 
him,  and  that  he  hardly  ever  made  a  mistake. 

Business  men  who  have  intelligent  wives  or  women  in  their  em- 
ploy, would  do  well  to  consult  them  occasionally  as  to  the  charac- 
ters of  men  they  wish  to  trust,  or  enter  into  partnership  with,  be- 
cause women  are  generally  good  readers  of  men's  characters  and 
motives.  A  married  lady  once  told  me,  just  as  I  had  completed  an 
examination  of  her  husband's  head,  that  she  had  warned  her  hus- 
band against  going  into  partnership  with  a  certain  man,  but  heed- 
less of  her  advice  he  did  so,  and  got  taken  in  pretty  badly.  VVomeii 
may  not  be  good  judges  of  the  value  of  property  and  business  mat- 
ters generally,  but  unquestionably  they  are  good  judges  of  men. 
A  young  lady  attending  a  reception  room  in  Philadelphia,  was 
asked  by  a  strange  man  who  stepped  in,  to  change  a  ten -dollar  bill 
^hich  she  4i4.  then  he  wanted  to  give  back  some  of  the  bills  fof 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  1 33 

others  she  had,  and  asked  her  if  he  could  not  have  one  in  place  of 
another.  "  No,"  said  she,  emphatically,  "you  can  not  have  any  more." 
She  saw  throug^h  him;  his  object  was  to  get  the  money  mixed  up 
and  herself  confused,  and  in  that  way  get  a  two  or  a  five  dollar  bill 
extra.  For  the  same  man  had  been  in  other  stores  near  by  and 
played  his  game  successfully. 

A  good  salesman  is  one  who  understands  people  and  knows  how 
to  take  them  and  talk  to  them;  one  will  sell  goods  where  another 
will  drive  a  person  out  of  the  store.  A  saleslady  in  Chicago  had 
gone  to  her  dinner,  and  while  absent  an  old  but  excitable  customer 
went  to  the  store  and  was  waited  on  by  another  lady  who,  instead 
of  selling  goods  had  got  the  customer's  temper  up  boiling  hot,  and 
she" was  just  making  her  way  out  of  the  door  as  the  other  lady  re- 
turned from  her  dinner.  She  stopped  the  woman,  got  her  quieted 
down  and  pacified,  then  sold  her  what  she  wanted.  There  was  the 
difference  in  the  two  ladies;  the  one  understood  human  nature  the 
other  did  not.  I  heard  a  traveling  salesman  speak  in  a  church 
meeting  one  evening,  and  in  his  remarks  stated  that  eight  or  nine- 
tenths  of  the  people  he  sold  goods  to  in  his  travels,  were  those  who 
told  him  positively  when  first  addressed  that  they  did  not  want 
anything.  Well,  what  did  he  do.?  Why  just  returned  to  his  hotel, 
studied  his  man  over,  then  called  again  and  sold  him  a  lot  of  goods, 
and  the  next  season  when  he  would  call,  he  would  probably  see 
them  lying  on  the  shelves  unsold  and  untouched,  or  the  greater 
part  of  them,  so  that  he  sold  him  goods  he  really  had  no  demand 
for.  To  some  it  may  not  look  exactly  right  for  a  man  to  sell  or  try 
to  sell  another  what  he  does  not  want,  but  really  it  is  not  the  drum- 
mer's or  agent's  business  to  study  what  the  merchant  wants  or  can 
sell,  that  is  for  the  merchant  to  study  and  know  himself.  The 
drummer's  business  is  selling  and  doing  all  he  can  for  the  firm  he 
represents.  Again  a  good  salesman  can  generally  tell  as  soon  as  a 
person  walks  into  the  store  whether  he  or  she  wants  to  buy  goods 
or  simply  look  around  for  curiosity  and  pastime,  as  many  women 
in  large  cities  do  who  have  not  much  else  to  do. 

But  not  only  should  the  man  who  sells  understand  human  na- 
ture, but  also  the  man  who  buys.  If  he  does  not  he  will  either  get 
a  lot  of  worthless  things  palmed  off  on  him,  or  else  he  will  buy 
what  he  cannot  sell;  that  is,  by  not  understanding  the  tastes  and 
wants  of  people  generdly  will  buy  what  they  do  not  want  and  there- 


134  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

fore  it  becomes  dead  stock  on  his  hands.  In  my  younger  day. 
when  I  first  began  business  and  before  I  knew  inuth  about  humai. 
nature  and  still  less  about  buying,  I  got  caught  m  botli  of  these 
traps.  An  acquaintance  of  mine  had  bought  a  lot  of  cheap  and 
worthless  perfumery,  and  judging  me,  1  presume,  to  be  an  eas> 
man  to  sell  to,  he  offered  it  cheap,  at  the  same  time  praising  it  up 
as  Lubin's  best  perfumes.  I  thought,  greenhorn  as  I  was.  that  the 
bait  was  good,  so  1  bit  at  it  and  got  caught.  I  perfumed  my  hand- 
kerchief and  tried  to  sell  it  to  the  ladies  who  came  in;  but  iht*y 
were  too  sweet  already  or  else  they  knew  better  than  1  did  what 
good  perfumery  was.  It  was  no  go,  and  the  most  I  coulti  do  with 
it  was  to  perfume  my  room  and  give  it  away.  My  next  experience 
was  in  buying  pictures.  I  was  always  passionately  fond  of  pic- 
tures, especially  portraits,  statuary,  etc.,  but  1  was  living  at  the 
time  in  a  town  of  about  five  or  six  thousand  population,  where 
the  taste  of  the  people  for  works  of  art  was  not  very  well  devel- 
oped. But  I  did  not  stop  to  think  what  the  people  liked  or  wanted, 
so  when  visiting  a  large  city  I  saw  a  lot  of  beautiful  pictures  with 
which  I  was  perfectly  delighted,  and  supposed  that  other  people 
would  be  too,  and  bought  about  sixty  or  seventy  dollars  worth, 
thinking  I  was  going  to  make  some  money  out  of  them;  but,  alas! 
I  was  doomed  to  disappointment,  and  all  I  could  do  with  my  pic- 
tures was  to  look  at  them.  That  taught  me  a  lesson,  that  when  I 
bought  things  to  sell  to  others,  I  must  buy  what  they  wanted, 
buying  to  please  myself  and  buying  to  please  others  are  two  differ- 
ent things  entirely,  and  the  only  way  a  man  can  know  what  others 
want  or  will  buy  is  to  study  their  tastes  and  natures.  No  doubt 
the  public  can  be  educated  to  appreciate  a  certain  line  or  class  of 
goods  which  they  do  not  like  at  first;  but  unless  a  man  has  plenty 
of  capital,  he  cannot  afford  to  wait  till  he  educates  the  people  up  to 
his  standard  or  ideas  of  things  —  he  must  take  such  steps  gradually 
and  carefully. 

If  a  man  has  to  employ  help,  the  better  he  understands  charac- 
ter the  better  will  he  be  able  to  select  his  assistants  and  manage 
them  after  he  has  selected  them,  and  a  man's  business  success 
often  depends  upon  the  kind  of  help  he  has  to  do  his  work. 
Teachers  could  manage  their  pupils  much  better  and  teach  them  a 
good  deal  more  if  they  knew  more  about  them.  Preachers  would 
be  more  successful  in  the  pulpit  and  the  family  circle  if  they  wer^ 


better  judges  of  human  nature,  because  they  would  know  how  tc 
talk  to  men  and  reach  their  hearts;  know  how  to  adapt  themselves 
and  their  teaching  to  individual  and  peculiar  cases. 

If  you  ask  me  how  you  are  to  understand  human  nature,  1 
answer  there  are  two  ways;  one  is  by  experience  and  reading  news- 
papers and  books,  the  other  is  by  the  study  of  the  face  and  head 
scientifically;  both  combined  is  the  best  way.  Some  ignore  those 
valuable  sciences,  physiognomy  and  phrenology,  and  trust  to  ex- 
perience; but  the  trouble  in  learning  by  experience  is  that  it  is  a 
slow  and  pretty  expensive  way,  generally,  because  experience 
comes  too  late  to  prevent  misfortune  for  the  time  being.  What  a 
n  an  wants  is  a  knowledge  that  will  prevent  and  protect.  After  a 
child  has  burnt  its  fingers  a  few  times  it  learns  by  experience  to 
keep  away  from  a  hot  stove,  but  would  it  not  be  better  for  the  child 
if  it  could  learn  without  burning  its  fingers.**  A  man  through  neg- 
lect and  indifference  loses  half  of  his  teeth  and  learns  by  regretful 
experience  to  take  care  of  the  other  half,  but  would  it  not  have 
been  much  better  to  have  known  enough  to  have  protected  and 
saved  the  whole  of  them,  which  every  person  could  do  just  as  well 
as  not?  Hence,  I  say,  learning  by  experience  alone  is  of  no  benefit 
to  a  person  in  many  instances,  because  it  comes  too  late.  Most 
people  know  there  are  such  persons  as  confidence  men,  and  the 
granger  or  countryman,  after  hearing  or  reading  about  some  other 
person  being  roped  in,  says  with  an  air  of  conceit,  **  Well,  I'll  bet 
they  don't  fleece  me  that  way,"  and,  perhaps,  the  very  next  time  he 
enters  the  city  a  confidence  man  steps  up  to  him  in  a  plausible 
way,  tells  him  a  fine  story,  makes  him  believe  he  is  acquainted  with 
a  number  of  his  friends  and  gets  his  money  away  from  him.  Then 
he  learns  by  experience,  when  it  is  too  late,  in  that  case  at  least,  to 
look  out  for  confidence  men.  But  if  he  had  studied  physiognomy 
he  might  have  suspected,  by  looks  and  manner,  the  character  of  the 
man  and  saved  himself  Almost  any  man  is  liable  to  be  taken  in 
by  these  sharpers,  so  well  do  they  play  their  game,  if  they  trust 
simply  to  their  own  experience  or  sharpness  without  a  practical 
knowledge  of  the  face.  The  superintendent  of  public  schools,  in 
one  of  our  large  cities,  told  me  how  he  used  to  say  that  he  could  not 
see  how  anybody  could  be  so  stupid  as  to  be  taken  in  by  a  confi- 
dence man,  and  boastingly  would  say  he  just  wished  one  of  those 
fellows  would  tackle  him,  he  would  like  to  meet  one  of  them.    Well, 


136  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  EAIlURE. 

he  said,  it  was  not  long  before  his  wish  was  gratified.  He  had  a 
house  and  lot  he  wanted  to  sell,  and  one  evening  while  out  in  his 
garden  a  gentlemanly-dressed  man  walked  up  to  the  gate,  leading 

a  little  girl  in  his  hand,  and  said,  "Good  evening,  Mr.  ;    I  hear 

you  want  to  sell  your  house  and  lot."  "Well,  yes,  I  do,"  said  the 
superintendent,  at  the  same  time  inviting  the  man  inside.  After 
looking  the  place  over  inside  and  out  he  concluded  it  was  just  such 
a  place  as  he  wanted  and  asked  the  price  of  it.  The  superintendent 
stated  how  many  thousands  he  wanted,  and  the  man  said  he 
thought  that  was  a  fair  price,  and  supposed  he  wished  the  cash  for 
it,  to  which  the  superintendent  replied  that  he  would  not  be  par- 
ticular about  the  whole  amount  in  cash,  providing  he  had  good 
security.  "O,  well,"  said  the  buyer,  "I  have  plenty  of  money  and 
would  just  as  soon  pay  the  whole  amount  at  once."  The  superin- 
tendent felt  pleased  to  think  he  had  a  cash  customer,  so  easily  made 
a  sale,  and  an  arrangement  was  made  to  meet  the  next  morning, 
when  the  property  and  deed  was  to  be  transferred  and  the  money 
paid  over.  By  this  time,  of  course,  Mr.  Superintendent  was  not 
only  happy  but  in  high  spirits  over  the  ready  sale  at  his  own  figures, 
being  an  American;  but  if  he  had  been  a  Jew  he  would  have  felt 
the  other  way,  for  it  makes  a  Jew  m.ad  to  be  taken  up  at  his  first 
offer;  because  he  thinks  what  a  fool  he  was  that  he  didn't  ask 
more.  But  the  superintendent,  being  in  good  humor,  was  of  course 
in  just  the  frame  of  mind  to  be  accommodating,  so  as  the  buyer  and 
confidence  man  was  about  leaving  he  told  the  superintendent  that 
he  had  just  temporarily  rented  some  rooms  for  his  family  up  the 
street,  and  that  the  woman  was  one  of  those  ignorant  kind  who 
didn't  know  business  matters  and  wanted  her  rent  that  evening; 
and  as  he  couldn't  get  at  his  money  till  morning  would  he  be  kind 
enough  to  accommodate  him  with  thirty-five  dollars,  and  he  would 
make  it  all  right  when  he  came  the  next  day  to  pay  for  the  house. 
"Why,  certainly,  certainly,"  said  the  school  man,  who  knew  more 
about  text-books  than  he  did  about  faces  or  human  nature,  so  he 
cheerfully  handed  him  the  thirty-five  dollars,  thinking  that  a  man 
who  had  plenty  of  money  and  was  going  to  pay  cash  down  for  a 
house  and  lot  was  good  for  it.  But,  alas  !  the  superintendent  nevei 
saw  his  money  bird  any  more;  he  had  played  his  game,  got  the 
money  and  skipped,  and  then  the  superintendent  was  a  wiser  man, 
but  not  quite  so  happy  because  his  friends  all  laughed  at  him  and 


fiUS!K€SS  success  AKn  FAtLURli.  W 

tedsed  hiiti,  laying  he  was  the  first  man  they  ever  heard  of  wno 
sold  a  house  and  lot  and  made  the  first  payment  on  it  himself. 
Still  he  was  only  doing  what  thousands  of  others  are  doing,  getting 
a  knowledge  of  human  nature  by  experience  at  thirty-five  dollars  a 
lesson,  and  that  is  a  good  deal  cheaper  than  some  pay. 

Another  very  important  thing  to  insure  success  in  one's  business 
or  profession  is  to  thoroughly  understand  it.  The  world  is  so  full 
of  botches,  quacks  and  humbugs  in  all  trades,  professions  and  kinds 
of  business,  that  it  is  no  wonder  there  are  so  many  who  fail  and 
never  make  a  success  of  anything  they  take  hold  of.  If  a  man  is 
going  to  be  a  mechanic  let  him  learn  his  trade  so  as  to  be  master 
of  it,  because  a  good  workman  can  get  a  job  much  quicker  than  a 
poor  one.  If  he  is  going  to  be  a  law)er  or  doctor  let  him  thorough- 
ly prepare  for  it,  so  that  he  will  know  the  ins  and  outs,  the  ups  and 
downs,  and  many  peculiarities  incident  to  his  profession.  If  he  is 
to  be  a  business  man  let  him  study  his  business  and  learn  how  to 
do  it  before  he  thinks  of  starting  up  for  himself.  How  can  any  man, 
even  if  he  is  smart,  expect  to  successfully  compete  with  old  estab- 
lished firms,  unless  by  previous  experience  he  is  made  competent 
I  to  manage  what  he  undertakes?  Some  people  seem  to  think  that 
i  all  they  have  to  do  is  just  to  rent  a  store  and  fill  it  with  goods  and 
the  money  will  come  rolling  in  on  them.  May  be  it  would  if  there 
i  was  no  competition,  and  they  kept  a  line  of  goods  that  were  in  de- 
mand, but  it  is  one  of  the  hardest  things  in  the  world  to  find  a  bus- 
iness and  a  place  where  there  is  no  competition.  It  will  pay  a  man 
to  fully  prepare  himself  lor  whatever  he  intends  to  engage  in.  be  it 
business,  a  profession  or  mechanism.  When  two  brutes  want  to 
get  up  a  prize  fight  they  prepare  for  the  inhuman  contest  for  months, 
and  ought  not  men  and  women  who  are  about  to  engage  in  the  long 
struggle  of  life  be  thoroughly  prepared  for  it.^  Everywhere  I  go  I 
see  men  engaged  in  some  business  they  do  not  understand,  eithei 
because  they  never  properly  learned  it  or  were  not  fit  for  it.  And 
I  claim  that  one  of  the  most  essential  things  necessary  to  enable  a 
man  to  be  master  of  whatever  he  undertakes,  is  that  he  possess 
natural  talent  for  it;  for  a  person  is  not  likely  to  be  proficient  in 
what  he  has  little  taste  or  ability  to  acquire,  any  more  than  a  stu- 
dent is  likely  to  be  smart  and  proficient  in  some  study  he  has  no 
talent  and  taste  for.  Hence  the  first  thing  for  a  person  to  do  when 
choosing  a  profession  or  business  or  trade,  is  to  find  out  what  he  is 


13^  SOSIHtSS  SUCCESS  Afm  fAttVM, 

best  suited  for,  or  whether  he  is  fit  for  anything  more  than  ordinary 
labor.  People  would  be  a  good  deal  better  off  financially,  phys- 
ically and  mentally,  if  men  and  women  were  only  in  the  right  place; 
as  it  is,  I  presume  one-half  at  least  are  in  the  wrong  place.  How, 
then,  can  they  possibly  understand  their  business  and  be  as  suc- 
cessful in  every  particular  as  they  ought  to  be? 

Two  things,  then,  are  necessary  in  regard  to  business  knowl- 
edge; first,  that  a  man  get  into  the  right  business,  and,  secondly, 
that  he  understand  every  branch  of  it;  and  without  these  qualifica- 
tions he  need  not  expect  as  large  an  amount  of  success  as  he  would 
otherwise  have,  because  even  if  a  man  is  fit  for  the  business  he 
chooses,  he  cannot  conduct  it  properly  without  understanding  it 
thoroughly.  I  tried  it  once  but  never  want  to  try  it  again,  for  if 
ever  a  mortal  had  trouble  and  up-hill  work  1  had,  just  because  I 
had  not  properly  learned  the  art  of  photography.  I  spent  about 
three  months  in  some  man's  gallery  who  did  not  know  much  about 
it  himself,  and  then  full  of  ambition  like  most  of  young  men,  I 
started  for  myself;  but  the  chemicals  would  not  work  right  for  me 
and  everything  went  wrong.  Sometimes  I  would  get  a  picture 
and  sometimes  I  would  not.  I  did  not  understand  photographic 
chemistry  properly,  hence  my  trouble,  and  though  I  learned  it  by 
slow  experience,  it  did  not  pay  me  to  run  a  gallery  and  pay  rent  in 
order  to  learn  the  business.  And  yet  this  is  what  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  people  are  doing  to-day  all  over  the  world  in  the 
various  professions  and  trades.  I  repeat,  then,  that  talent  for  and 
knowledge  of  a  business  are  the  two  requisites  for  its  successful 
manipulation. 

The  next  thing  for  consideration  is  location.  Having  chosen 
the  right  business  and  thoroughly  prepared  for  it,  the  next  impor- 
tant question  is  where  to  do  business  —  in  what  city  and  where- 
abouts in  that  city,  or  on  what  street;  because  if  a  man  chooses  a 
bad  location,  his  talent  and  preparation  will  avail  him  little.  He 
will  be  something  like  a  man  in  the  water  who  is  a  good  swimmer, 
but  is  taken  with  the  cramps  so  that  he  can  neither  use  his  knowl- 
edge nor  his  muscles.  Barnum,  when  in  London  or  some  other 
city  in  England,  went  into  a  show,  and  after  looking  around  and 
watching  and  listening  to  the  man  exhibiting,  got  into  conversa- 
tion with  him  and  said:  "My  friend,  you  are  a  good  showman,  but 
you  have  got  a  poor  location,"  or  words  to  that  effect;  and  that  is 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  139 

the  condition  of  a  good  many  men  in  business,  and  all  that  pre- 
vents them  from  doing  well.  They  have  opened  out  or  set  up  in 
the  wrong  place.  Many  a  school  or  college  has  been  located  in  the 
wrong  place,  and  in  time  has  fizzled  out.  Many  a  house,  church, 
and  even  town  or  city  has  been  located  in  the  wrong  place.  I 
remember  seeing  a  town  somewhere  in  my  travels  in  which  a  large 
sum  of  money  had  been  expended  in  laying  out  streets  and  blocks 
with  the  expectation  that  the  town  was  going  to  grow  rapidly,  but 
it  never  grew  and  probably  never  will,  because  it  is  not  the  loca- 
tion, in  the  present  order  of  things,  for  a  large  town  or  city.  So 
capitalists  frequently  erect  factories,  mills  and  foundries  of  various 
kinds  where  they  fail  to  pay,  because  badly  located.  Professional 
men  often  choose  a  poor  location  for  an  office,  either  in  the  wrong 
part  of  the  city  or  the  wrong  side  of  the  street,  or  in  the  wrong 
kind  of  a  building,  or  in  connection  with  improper  associations. 
Some  men  have  little  taste  or  refinement  about  them  and  get  into 
a  building  that  has  a  bad  entrance  or  surroundings,  or  one  in 
which  the  offices  are  roughly  finished,  dirty  looking  and  unfit  for 
the  purpose  for  which  they  are  used.  Such  men  need  not  expect 
the  better  class  of  people  to  patronize  them  in  such  holes.  If  men 
want  to  do  business  in  refined  society,  they  must  present  a  tasty 
and  respectable  appearance,  personally  as  well  as  in  their  places  of 
business.  When  1  enter  a  seminary  or  college  to  arrange  for  a  lec- 
ture, I  notice  the  first  thing  the  president  or  princi-pal  does  is  to 
scan  me  from  head  to  foot  —  that  is,  in  many  cases  where  I  happen 
to  be  a  stranger  —  and  the  appearance  I  present  goes  a  long  way 
with  my  making  an  engagement.  If  a  man  looks  dirty  and  slovenly 
it  goes  against  him,  but  if  neat  and  tasty  it  speaks  in  his  favor. 
So  far  it  may  be  right  to  judge  of  a  man  by  his  clothes;  but  this 
kind  of  judgment  should  not  be  carried  too  far,  because  a  blackleg 
may  dress  fine,  and  a  great  many  people  depend  too  much  upon  a 
man  or  woman's  dress. 

Geography  is  a  valuable  study  for  the  business  man,  and  he 
should  be  well  posted  concerning  his  own  country,  especially  if  his 
business  or  profession  requires  him  to  travel  or  send  out  agents. 
It  is  a  kind  of  business  knowledge  he  can't  afford  to  dispense  with, 
and  the  more  he  studies  the  map  and  finds  out  the  locations  of 
towns  and  cities,  what  they  are  noted  for,  and  things  or  places  of 
interest  connected  with  them,  the  more  practical  business  knowl- 


140  BUSINESS   SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

edge  will  he  possess.  What  could  a  general  do  without  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  country  through  which  he  travels  to  meet  the  enemy? 
During  the  late  Franco-Prussian  war  the  leaders  of  the  German 
army  were  as  familiar  with  the  geography  of  F'rance  as  the  French 
were  themselves,  and  that  was  undoubtedly  a  prominent  cause  of 
their  success.  When  one  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte's  generals  mis- 
took the  road  and  marched  several  miles  out  of  his  way,  making 
him  too  late  to  render  assistance  to  Napoleon's  army,  it  cost  him 
the  battle  of  Waterloo;  at  least  that  is  the  attributed  cause  of  his 
failure.  And  is  not  a  large  wholesale  merchant  or  manufacturer 
equally  dependent  upon  a  knowledge  of  the  country  and  city  to 
know  where  and  how  to  dispose  of  his  goods  at  the  best  prices,  as 
well  as  where  to  get  his  supplies  at  the  lowest  figures?  And  when 
any  man  contemplates  starting  out  in  life  and  in  business  for  him- 
self, it  will  be  well  for  him,  if  he  can  possibly  do  it,  to  travel  awhile 
and  look  around,  because  where  one  man  can  do  business  success- 
fully another  may  not,  for  the  same  reason  that  a  show  or  lecturer 
that  draws  well  in  one  city  may  not  in  another.  A  man's  ideas, 
tastes  and  manner  of  doing  business  may  be  better  adapted  to  one 
class  of  people  or  city  than  it  is  to  another,  and  this  will  necessa- 
rily win  business  friends  in  one  place  easier  and  quicker  than 
another.  Let  him  study  himself  and  the  customs  and  taste  of  the 
people  well  before  he  locates,  then  he  may  avoid  the  necessity  of 
removing  to  some  other  place  after  two  or  three  years'  trial  and 
struggle  for  a  business  foothold. 

As  to  the  amount  of  capital  necessary  to  start  with,  no  definite 
rule  can  be  given,  as  it  depends  largely  on  circumstances,  the 
nature  of  the  business,  and  the  kind  of  person.  One  man  can  pull 
through  and  make  his  business  go  with  less  capital  than  another, 
and  1  presume  lew  men  begin  with  everything  paid  for.  It  is  better 
for  a  beginner  to  start  as  free  from  incumbrances  as  possible.  To 
be  all  the  time  close  run  and  not  have  the  means  to  push  a  business 
with,  is  very  apt  to  terminate  in  bankruptcy  or  failure  in  some  way. 
Better  for  a  man  to  work  on  a  salary  and  save  up  for  a  few  years 
than  to  start  entirely  on  credit,  as  many  have  done.  Then  again 
it  is  almost  as  bad  for  a  man  to  have  plenty  of  money  to  back  him 
as  not  enough,  because  he  is  very  apt  to  feel  independent,  less 
accommodating  and  less  enterprising  than  he  would  be  if  he  had 
nothing  but  what  he  made.    And  with  plenty  of  money  he  is  noorc 


BUSINESS   SUCCESS  AND   FAILURE.  14 1 

lavishing  and  careless  in  expenses.  I  remember  just  such  a  case. 
A  man  who  went  to  Chicago  opened  out  big,  got  out  a  small  paper 
and  was  going  to  do  big  things,  but  it  was  not  more  than  a  year  or 
two  before  his  things  were  in  the  hands  of  his  landlord  for  rent. 
He  had  money,  but  he  lacked  good  judgment  and  management, 
and  had  a  poor  location  besides;  hence  as  soon  as  his  surplus  money 
gave  out,  he  was  in  a  financial  ditch  and  couldn't  get  out.  But,  as 
I  have  aheady  intimated,  some  kinds  of  business  require  plenty  of 
capital  to  begin  with,  and  could  not  be  started  without,  while  other 
kinds  may  be  commenced  and  carried  on  with  a  reasonable  amount 
of  credit. 

The  next  thing  I  wish  to  discuss  as  connected  with  business 
success  and  failure  is  the  executive  power.  There  are  various 
elements  of  character  that  give  a  man  the  abihty  and  disposition  to 
execute  his  plans  and  carry  on  his  business.  One  of  them  is  Per- 
severance. Without  that  he  will  not  surmount  and  work  his  way 
through  the  many  difficulties  and  discouragements  that  will  beset 
his  career.  He  will  too  readily  succumb  to  circumstances,  and  see 
a  lion  in  the  way  at  almost  every  step  he  takes.  One  of  Grant's 
chief  qualities  was  dogged  perseverance  —  that  nature  which 
prompted  him  to  say  he  proposed  to  fight  it  out  if  it  took  all  sum- 
mer, and  which  made  him  undertake  a  military  exploit  against  the 
judgment  of  his  generals  and  all  military  tactics  or  rules,  but  which 
madf  iiim  in  the  end  a  victor,  crowned  with  lasting  honors.  Many 
a  man  ihrough  lack  of  perseverance  has  dug  his  own  business  grave 
He  did  not  succeed  because  he  would  not.  There  is  not  much  ac- 
complished in  this  life  without  continual  and  persistent  effort,  not 
a  spasmodic  splurge  for  a  little  while,  but  steady  application.  The 
difference  between  such  efforts  was  forcibly  illustrated  at  the  ban)'/ 
of  Waterloo.  The  French  made  brilliant  charges,  but  the  British 
held  their  ground  with  such  unsielding  tenacity  that  they  were  un- 
able to  break  their  columns  and  scjuares  sufficient  to  produce  a  rout. 
This  is  the  kind  of  grit  that  men  want  in  business  or  in  professions 
or  in  scientific  pursuits  and  new  enterprises.  Where  would  o'u 
inventors  and  discoverers  be  without  perseverance,  and  how  would 
new  countries  be  opened  up  and  peopled  without  this  important 
trait  of  character  which  laughs  at  difficulties  and  surmounts  all  ob- 
stacles ^  Be  sure  you  have  got  the  right  business  and  are  located 
in  the  right  place,  then  persevere  with  all  your  might,  and  sucresB 


142  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

will  eventually  crown  your  labors.  But  if,  like  a  wolf,  you  only  snap 
at  a  thing,  then  instantly  let  go,  you  may  keep  on  snapping  till  you 
are  gray-headed  without  accomplishing  much.  Be  a  sort  of  human 
bull-dog  in  business  affairs  —  that  is,  when  you  bite,  hold  on. 
Think  of  the  spider,  also,  how  it  toils  and  spins  and  re-spins  as  fast 
as  its  threads  and  web  are  destroyed.  Or  be  like  the  Chicago  peo- 
ple after  the  great  fire,  who,  homeless  and  penniless,  many  of  them, 
went  to  work  with  a  spirit  of  perseverance  and  zeal  to  rebuild  their 
homes  and  retrieve  their  fortunes.  They  did  not  sit  down  and 
fold  their  arms  in  a  fit  of  universal  despondency  and  cry  like  a  child 
over  spilled  milk,  but  the  motto  was,  "Up  and  at  it  again."  I  do 
not  mean  that  they  did  not  feel  their  loss  keenly,  but  they  did  not 
allow  their  feelings  to  daunt  their  courage  and  paralyze  their  will- 
power, and  thus  settle  down  in  despair  and  indifference. 

Closely  allied  to  perseverance  is  energy,  push,  and  go-ahead- 
ativeness;  getting  up  steam  and  driving  things,  pushing  the  busi- 
ness and  reaching  out  after,  and  not  waiting  for  people  to  come,  or 
something  to  turn  up.  For  the  fact  is  if  a  man  does  not  push  his 
business  it  will  never  push  itself,  nor  will  any  one  else  push  it  for 
him,  unless  they  push  it  to  the  wall;  they  will  certainly  not  push  it 
ahead.  It  is  amusing  and  yet  suggestive  to  see  how  many  ways, 
means  and  tricks  some  resort  to  in  large  cities  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  public,  especially  some  of  the  stands  on  the  streets, 
shows  and  museums.  Going  down  the  Bowery  in  New  York  one 
night  I  noticed  a  man  with  a  stick  in  his  hand  going  through  all 
kinds  of  antics  and  pointing  to  notices  on  the  bulletin  boards.  His 
object  was,  of  course,  to  attract  the  eye,  arrest  travel  for  a  moment, 
and  secure  attention  to  the  advertisements  of  the  ten  cent  show, 
and  of  course  hundreds  stopped  to  see  what  was  going  on  that 
would  otherwise  have  passed  by  and  taken  no  notice.  His  per- 
formances were  more  like  those  of  a  crazy  man  than  any  other,  but 
that  was  just  the  kind  to  attract  a  Bowery  street  crowd,  which  is 
generally  a  mixture  of  all  elements  of  society,  but  chiefly  the  lower 
and  middle  classes,  good  and  bad,  with  a  pretty  large  share  of  the 
latter.  A  gentleman  told  me  that  one  day  while  passing  along  one 
of  the  thoroughfares  of  New  York,  he  noticed  a  man  silently  point- 
ing a  stick  to  some  articles  on  his  stand;  he  naturally  looked  to  see 
what  the  man  was  pointing  at,  and  discovered  it  was  the  very  thing 
he  wanted  to  buy,  and  hardly  knew  where  to  look  for  it.     If  it  had 


UtJSlN^SS  SUCCftSS  ANt  FAILUlRfe.  t43 

not  been  for  the  man  pointing  with  his  stick  or  cane  he  would  have 
gone  by  and  never  seen  it.  These  may  seem  strange  and  foolish 
actions  to  some  people,  but  they  secured  business  and  brought  in 
money,  and  made  the  thing  a  success,  so  every  man  has  to  find 
some  way  to  push  his  business;  the  best  way  is  for  him  to  study 
out  according  to  the  nature  of  the  business  and  the  place  he  is 
doing  it.  A  man  can  sell  almost  anything  if  he  finds  the  right 
place  and  right  way  to  do  it.  I  once  heard  of  a  man  who  was  sell- 
ing some  insignifTcant  and  almost  useless  article  at  small  prices  on 
a  street  corner,  when  finally  a  matter-of-fact  gentleman  came  along, 
and  thinking  he  was  wasting  his  time  to  no  purpose  said  to  him, 
"Why  don't  you  get  something  useful  to  sell  that  people  need  and 
will  buy,  because  nobody  but  a  fool  would  buy  one  of  those  things." 
"I  grant  that,"  said  the  street  peddler,  "that  nobody  but  a  fool  will 
buy  one,  but  how  many  fools  do  you  suppose  pass  by  here  in  the 
run  of  a  day.?"  That  was  a  point  the  critic  had  not  thought  of 
before. 

Another  important  characteristic  in  business  is  force,  execution, 
the  carrying  out  of  one's  ideas  and  plans.  Some  people  are  forever 
planning  but  never  executing  or  putting  into  practice  their  ideas. 
They  are  practically  day  dreamers,  have  lots  of  business  ideas  but 
seldom  make  any  use  of  them,  and  therefore,  accomplish  little. 
The  successful  man  is  the  one  who  works  out  his  plans,  who  the 
moment  he  has  matured  an  idea  makes  a  practical  use  or  applica- 
tion of  it.  Business  with  him  is  business,  something  to  be  attended 
to  right  away  ;  there  is  no  nonsense  with  him,  no  foolishness,  no 
idling  of  time  and  loitering  around,  gossiping  and  joking.  His 
mottoes  are:  "Be  up  and  doing  while  the  day  lasts  —  now  is  the 
time — strike  while  the  iron  is  hot — make  hay  while  the  sun  shines — 
procrastination  is  the  thief  of  time — be  sure  you  are  right  then  go 
ahead."  He  wants  no  drones  in  his  employ,  but  live,  active  men. 
He  works  himself  and  expects  everybody  else  to  do  the  same. 
That  is  the  kind  of  spirit  that  wins  success,  because  it  possesses 
business  industry.  This  talent  (for  it  is  a  talent)  arises  from 
the  organ  of  destructiveness,  and  is  the  backbone  of  business  enter- 
prise and  ability.  Energy,  which  springs  from  combativeness, 
makes  a  man  fight  difficulties  and  opposition,  but  force  gives  him 
the  impetus  to  go  through  it.  Force  in  the  individual  is  what 
weight  and  strength  are  to  the  locomotive;  it  is  that  wherein  its 


i44  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  PAILURI5. 

force  Of  power  consists,  whereas,  energy  may  be  compared  to  it? 
speed  or  propelling  power.  The  power  to  execute  is  what  every 
man  should  study  and  vigorously  cultivate  who  is  deficient  in  it, 
otherwise  he  will  be  swallowed  up  by  opposing  forces,  unless  othei 
elements  in  his  character  help  to  carry  him  through.  The  way  to 
cultivate  it  is  to  do  your  very  best  to  execute  your  plans  and 
accomplish  whatever  you  undertake.  In  other  words  turn  youi 
thoughts  into  actions  or  instead  of  merely  thinking  about  u  hat  you 
would  like  to  do,  go  to  work  and  do  it.  Stagnated  thoughts  are 
as  useless  and  unwholesome  as  stagnant  water.  It  is  liviiT^ 
thoughts  and  plans  that  bring  the  financial  harvest.  Hence,  the 
successful  man  is  a  live  man,  not  a  theorist  or  visionist  whose 
imagination  suspends  him  half  way  between  earth  and  heaven.  A 
visionary  and  imaginative  mind  is  very  good  where  it  behjJiL^s,  but 
not  good  for  business  management  ;  that  requires  a  mind  more 
worldly  and  practical. 

But  men  not  only  require  perseverance,  energy  and  force,  but 
concentrated  effort  as  well,  and  where  a  great  many  fail  is  ihrough. 
a  lack  of  concentration  of  their  talents  and  energies  to  the  one 
thing  or  one  business  which  they  have  in  hand.  Too  many  irons 
in  the  fire  at  once  keeps  a  man  in  hot  water  all  the  time,  and  the 
result  is  he  does  nothing  thoroughly  ;  he  becomes  jack  of  all  trades 
and  master  of  none.  When  you  hear  of  some  big  firm  g'oing  to 
smash  financially,  you  will  be  pretty  sure  to  find  on  investigation 
that  they  were  dabbling  in  something  outside  of  their  legitimate 
and  prosperous  business.  They  were  probably  speculators  in  min- 
ing stocks  or  some  new  and  risky  enterprise.  I  am  speaking  now 
of  firms  that  have  been  doing  a  good  paying  business,  not  those 
who  have  been  battling  against  adversity  and  want  of  business  rr(jm 
the  time  they  commenced  till  necessity  or  their  creditors  compelled 
them  to  suspend.  One  thing  at  a  time  is  the  safest  course  to  pur- 
sue under  ordinary  circumstances  and  with  ordinary  people.  Here 
and  there  a  man  may  have  branch  stores  or  two  or  three  kinds  of 
business  and  be  successful,  but  these  are  exceptions,  not  the  rule. 
Far  better  to  give  your  entire  mind,  energy  and  time  to  the  study 
and  management  of  one  thing. 

But  the  thought  1  more  particularly  wish  to  bring  out  untler  the 
head  of  concentration  is  sticking  to  one  thing.  So  many  become 
sort  of  jumping-jacks  from  one  thing  to  another  all   through   life 


BUSINESS   SUCCESS   AND   FAILURE.  I45 

tliat  they  never  ^et  beycMid  mediocrity,  never  become  experts  at 
anything,  nor  reach  a  point  of  eminence.  A  hfe  of  earnest  toil  in 
the  pursuit  of  one  thing  generally  brings  reward  and  success  of 
some  kind.  Every  \  ouiig  man  and  woman  should  have  a  definite 
aim,  object  or  pur[)ose  in  life.  One  of  the  saddest  remarks  I  ever 
heard  made  was  by  a  young  man  who,  in  company  with  another, 
was  walking  along  a  street  in  Chicago  just  in  front  of  me  one 
evening.  They  were  talking  loud,  and  I  heard  him  say:  "Well,  1 
don't  care;  I  iiave  no  object  in  life  to  live  for."  And  I  thoui^ht  to 
myself,  then  you  are  ccrtamly  an  object  of  great  pity.  For  young 
men  and  women  to  start  out  in  life  without  any  definite  object 
before  them  as  to  what  they  expect  to  do  or  intend  to  be,  is  to  live 
at  least  a  useless  life,  and  one  that  may  very  likely  lead  to  ruin  and 
the  penitentiary.  Let  every  person  set  a  mark  before  them,  some- 
thing beyond  their  present  reach,  scope  or  ability,  and  then  let 
every  move  they  make  and  every  step  they  take  be  toward  that 
point  or  object.  Let  them  pursue  a  straight,  steady  and  constant 
course  until  they  reach  the  height  of  a  noble  ambition,  or  come  as 
near  to  it  as  possible.  By  concentrating  your  time  and  talent  upon 
one  thing  or  purpose  all  through  life,  you  will  accomplish  more  for 
yourself,  and  the  world  too.  Then  you  will  not  be  dividing  and 
apj)i)  ing  your  talent  to  two  or  three  things,  or  changing  your  occu- 
pation tliree  or  four  times,  in  a  brief  career.  The  desire  for  change, 
mingled  with  a  lack  of  patience  is  so  strong  in  people  nowadays 
that  the  natural  tendency  is  to  drift  from  one  thing  to  another  and 
change  from  place  to  place,  if  business  does  not  loom  up  on  the 
start  as  they  anticipated.  The  lack  of  patience  and  continuity  is 
the  reason  why  sonie  are  never  thorough  in  anything  they  do, 
never  finish  up  a  job  thoroughly;  begin  a  thing,  then  jump  off  to 
something  else,  or  hurry  over  what  they  are  about  and  leave  it  in  a 
slovenly,  half-finished  condition;  just  as  some  mechanics  half  finish 
their  work,  and  servants  who  do  things  half  way  about  the  house. 
They  are  always  cleaning,  and  yet  things  are  never  cleaned,  because 
they  do  not  dwell  on  a  thing  long  enough  to  do  it  properly.  And 
that  is  the  principle  on  which  some  men  do  their  business  or  attend 
to  their  professional  calling,  and  then  wonder  why  they  are  not 
more  successful.  I  have  known  men  in  book  and  news  stores,  for 
instance,  to  be  full  of  excitement  over  some  new  book  or  paper 
and  try  to  sell  it  for  a  few  days,  then  as  sopn  ^s  the  jioyelty  died 


146  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

away  their  interest  would  give  out,  and  they  would  pitch  it  one 
side  to  try  something  else;  whereas,  another  man  with  more 
patience  and  interest  would  keep  it  before  the  public  and  sell  the 
same  book  or  article  for  months  or  years.  How  difficult  it  is  to 
find  two  or  more  persons  engaged  in  ordinary  conversation  stick  to 
the  same  subject  five  minutes  at  a  time.  One  is  sure  to  interrupt 
the  other,  who  is  explaining  his  views,  by  asking  a  question  or 
making  a  suggestion  relative  to  some  other  topic  or  side  issue,  and 
then  the  conversation  is  instantly  turned  upon  something  else,  and 
thus  it  goes  on,  changing  every  minute  or  two,  till  in  the  course  of 
half  an  hour  or  more  they  have  talked  on  all  the  current  affairs  of 
the  day  without  doing  justice  to  any  one  of  them;  and  when  peo- 
ple allow  their  thoughts  and  minds  to  be  so  changeable  in  conver- 
sation, they  are  very  apt  to  become  so  in  business,  even  though 
they  may  not  perceive  it. 

Integrity  or  square  dealing  is  an  important  element  in  the  busi- 
ness and  professional  man's  make-up  also.  A  good  many  do  not 
beUeve  this  doctrine,  judging  from  their  mean,  unprincipled  tricks, 
for  they  skin  everybody  they  can.  Walking  out  one  Sunday  after- 
noon in  Washington,  D.  C,  with  a  little  girl,  the  daughter  of  a 
friend  of  mine,  she  called  my  attention  to  a  small  confectionery  and 
candy  store.  Said  she:  "That  woman  does  not  keep  open  on  Sun- 
days, but  she  steals  enough  through  the  week  to  make  up  for  it," 
and  then  told  me  how  she  overcharged  her  for  something  she  got; 
took  advantage  of  the  girl  because  she  was  young,  I  suppose.  So 
common  are  these  sharp  tricks  among  business  men  that  one  has 
to  be  on  the  lookout  all  the  time  as  though  he  was  watching 
thieves,  or  else  get  imposed  upon.  Even  large  stores  and  firms, 
where  one  would  suppose  they  would  be  above  little,  mean  prac- 
tices, will  bear  close  watching.  These  people  seem  to  think  that 
way  of  doing  business  pays.  Perhaps  it  does  for  the  time  being, 
but  not  in  the  long  run.  Let  a  man  establish  a  reputation  for 
honest  dealing  and  he  will  gain  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the 
whole  community.  Even  children  are  so  educated  that  their  minds 
are  imbued  with  the  idea  that  it  shows  smartness  and  originality 
to  take  advantage,  get  the  best  of  a  bargain,  and  make  money  by 
mere  policy,  trickery  and  cunning.  To  make  money  is  the  chief 
ambition  of  men,  but  as  to  how  they  make  it  is  a  matter  of  indif- 
ference, providing  they  only  get  it.     But  let  a  man  once  become 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  147 

known  as  a  sharper  and  trickster,  and  even  dishonest  people,  as 
those  of  his  own.  stripe,  will  be  pretty  careful  how  they  deal  with 
him,  if  at  all;  and  I  venture  the  assertion  that  a  rogue  or  thief 
would  rather  buy  goods  of  an  honest  than  a  dishonest  man,  unless 
in  the  latter  case  it  was  a  matter  of  friendship  or  mutual  interest. 
The  amount  of  money  a  man  takes  in  is  not  all  that  constitutes  his 
success.  He  may  steal  himself  rich,  or  in  some  way  make  a  large 
amount  of  money  by  fraud  and  deception,  but  I  should  not  apply 
the  term  busifiess  success  to  such  a  person.  Business  implies  an 
exchange  of  goods  or  labor  for  value  received,  and  that  is  based 
upon  honesty  or  square  dealing  between  man  and  man;  hence  I 
'^all  that  man  a  success  who  prospers  by  straightforward  dealing. 

Punctuality  is  also  of  the  utmost  importance  in  business  mat- 
♦•ers.  To  be  on  time  and  to  keep  an  engagement  at  the  appointed 
hour  is  as  necessary  as  keeping  one's  word  or  paying  a  bill.  A  few 
minutes  late  may  make  a  great  difference  in  results,  not  only  to  the 
person  you  disappoint  but  also  to  yourself  I  heard  of  a  gentle- 
man who  resided  in  New  York  city,  I  believe,  who  by  misfortune 
had  been  thrown  out  of  business,  and  his  friends  did  their  best  to 
help  set  him  on  his  feet  again,  and  had  arranged  with  some  prom- 
inent business  man  to  meet  him  for  a  consultation  in  reference  to 
an  interest  in  his  business  which  was  considered  very  remunerative 
and  a  splendid  opportunity.  The  time  and  place  were  arranged 
and  the  gentleman  in  business  was  at  the  place  sharp  at  the  hour 
or  about  five  minutes  ahead;  he  waited  a  few  minutes  but  the  un- 
fortunate man  did  not  appear.  Willing  to  give  him  a  few  minutes 
grace,  he  waited  ten  or  twenty  minutes  after  the  hour  mentioned, 
but  he  did  not  come,  and  so  he  returned  to  his  own  place  of  busi- 
ness. Ten  or  fifteen  minutes  later  the  dilatory  man  put  in  an  ap- 
pearance only  to  be  disappointed.  Another  effort  was  made  for  a 
meeting  but  of  no  avail,  as  the  prompt  business  man  would  not  on 
any  consideration  take  a  man  into  partnership  with  him  who  was 
so  negligent,  careless  and  indifferent.  Hence,  by  being  a  few  min- 
utes late,  he  lost  the  best  chance  in  his  life.  I  never  could  see  the 
sense  of  a  person  having  a  time  or  appointing  a  time  to  do  a  thing 
if  they  did  not  intend  to  be  punctual.  If  I  were  to  make  an  ap- 
pointment to  lecture  at  eight  o'clock  and  got  to  the  hall  at  half-past 
eight  or  a  quarter  to  nine,  I  should  expect  to  find  empty  seats. 
Neverthelf  ssp  I  have  known  an  audience  to  be  a  half  hour  late  in 


148  aUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

getting  together,  for  in  some  places  it  is  a  common  habit  with  thi 
people  to  be  behind  time.  I  gave  a  course  of  lectures  in  a  certair, 
male  and  female  seminary  in  the  West,  and  found  every  eveninj^ 
the  students  were  late.  They  seemed  to  have  little  regard  for 
exact  time,  and  it  did  not  speak  well  for  the  government  and  influ- 
ence of  the  school.  Some  business  men,  who  employ  a  large  num- 
ber of  hands,  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  adopt  a  system  of  fliie^ 
for  late  em[)loyes.  They  had  to  do  this  or  lose  many  hours  work 
every  day,  besides  experiencing  other  losses  and  mco?iveniences 
through  the  careless  and  indifferent  habits  of  others,  it  seems  a 
little  rigitl  at  first  thought  to  fine  or  send  an  employe  home  for  a 
quarter  or  a  half  a  day,  but  when  \'ou  take  into  consideration  the 
confusion  and  loss  of  time  that  would  take  place  where  there  are 
from  fifty  to  two  or  three  hundred  hands  employed,  and  most  of 
them  coming  in  five,  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  laf^,  it  is  self-evident 
th.it  rules  of  punctuality  must  be  enforced.  When  railroad  officials 
publish  a  time-table  the  public  ex[)ect  the  trains  to  leave  at  the 
nnnute  advertised,  not  ten  minutes  before  or  after,  and  when  a 
train  hapj)ens  to  be  late,  which  is  often  the  case,  and  I  suppose 
cannot  be  avoided  sometimes,  the  passengers  or  those  waiting  are 
restless,  and  every  minute  seems  like  ten.  Speculators  dealing  in 
grain  or  stocks  may  make  or  lose  heavily  in  being  a  few  minutes 
early  or  late  in  their  arrival  and  delivery  at  a  certain  point.  In 
fact,  a  man  pretending  to  do  business  who  has  no  regard  for  punc- 
tuality, who  is  const.mtly  promising  to  do  or  have  a  thing  done, 
and  as  often  disappointing,  is  a  public  nuisance.  Of  course,  cir- 
cumstances may  prevent  the  best  of  men  from  keeping  their  prom- 
ises occasionally,  especially  in  a  business  that  is  dependent  on  the 
weather,  like  photography  for  instance.  Hut  there  are  plenty  of 
business  men  who  make  promises  just  to  j)iease  their  customers, 
and  as  soon  as  they  are  gone  forget  all  about  them  or  wait  till  a 
convenient  time  comes  around  to  attend  to  them.  And  there  are 
thousands  of  people  who  make  engagements  without  making  any 
effort  to  keep  them,  and  frequently  have  no  intention  of  doing  so 
at  the  time.  This  sort  of  thing  is  very  annoying  to  a  business  or 
professional  man.  People  often  come  to  me  and  make  an  engage- 
ment to  meet  me  at  my  office  or  hotel  and  that  will  be  the  last  I 
will  see  of  them,  or  they  will  perhaps  come  an  hour  or  day  or  two 
later  than  they  agreed.     They  will  do  the  same  thing  with  a  den- 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  ANt)  FAILURE.  M9 

tist  and  other  classes,  thereby  causing  a  vast  amount  of  iiiluuvc- 
.n'ence,  disappointment  and  loss  of  time  and  money.  Though  1 
iMiderstand  that  when  a  person  makes  a  positive  engagement  for  a 
certain  hour,  say  with  a  dentist,  and  he  reserves  that  time  for  them 
ind  they  fail  to  come,  he  can  collect  his  pay,  and  it  is  only  right  he 
•'hould,  even  from  a  business  point  of  view.  On  the  same  principle 
if  a  landlord  neglects  to  call  a  person  up  in  time  to  take  a  train  and 
he  fails  to  meet  an  engagement  and  loses  money  through  the  fail- 
ure of  the  landlord  to  do  his  duty,  he  can  collect  damages  from 
him.  Time  is  money  in  more  ways  than  one,  and  the  man  who 
wants  to  be  successful  must  be  punctual  and  give  people  to  under- 
stand that  when  he  mentions  a  definite  time  he  means  to  be  on 
hand  as  near  as  possible  to  the  minute.  I  remember  the  principal 
of  a  high  school  in  one  of  our  large  cities  telling  me  that  he  was 
anxious  to  get  an  appropriation  for  a  new  school  building,  and  one 
of  the  influential  members  of  the  board  he  had  to  see  wasadifFcult 
man  to  manage,  and  his  success  depended  largely  on  how  he 
impressed  him.  He  was  a  lawyer  and  a  busy  man;  so  one  day  he 
called  at  his  office  and  told  him  he  wanted  to  talk  with  him  five 
minutes.  "Well,"  said  the  lawyer,  "go  ahead."  He  briefly  and 
pointedly  stated  the  necessities  and  reasons  for  a  new  building,  and 
after  speaking  four  minutes  he  stopped.  The  lawyer,  looking  at 
his  watch,  told  him  he  had  another  minute.  "No,"  said  the  prin- 
cipal, "1  am  through,"  and  retired.  He  got  the  appropriation  for 
a  fine  new  building.  "But,"  said  he,  "I  believe  if  I  had  talked  over 
my  time  I  should  not  have  received  his  indorsement  and  influence, 
and  therefore  no  new  building.  He  saw  the  principal  talked  busi- 
ness in  a  business  way,  and  meant  what  he  said,  and  that  favorably 
impressed  him.  Five  minutes  too  much  talk  will  sometimes  do 
the  speaker  a  great  deal  of  harm.  In  business  matters  there  is  a 
great  deal  in  knowing  what  to  say,  how  to  say  it,  when  to  say  it, 
and  how  much  time  to  take  in  doing  it.  If  there  is  any  kind  of 
person  a  business  man  detests,  it  is  a  bore  —  one  who  talks,  talks, 
talks,  and  never  knows  when  to  stop.  Say  what  you  have  to  say, 
and  do  what  you  have  to  do,  in  as  brief  a  time  as  possible;  then 
retire  and  give  others  a  chance  to  do  the  same  thing.  I  have  seen 
men  and  women  hang  around  and  talk  mostly  for  the  sake  of  talk- 
ing, while  others  would  be  impatiently  waiting  for  them  to  get 
tlirough.    No  idea  nor  regard  for  time  whatever;  no  concern  as  to 


150  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURB.  ,; 

how  much  inconvenience  they  put  others  to,  so  long  as  they  have 
their  talk  and  ask  all  the  useless  or  unnecessary  questions  they 
can  think  of.  I  notice  this  peculiarity  about  a  woman  in  business 
matters.  When  she  calls  to  see  a  business  or  professional  man,  she  j 
wants  considerable  time  and  attention  given  and  shown  to  her,  and 
if  she  does  not  get  it,  she  thinks  she  is  not  used  right;  but  when  a 
person  goes  to  see  a  business  woman,  she  generally  wants  to  get  i 
through  as  quick  as  possible. 

Again,  the  successful  business  man  is  one  who  studies  and  prac- 
tices economy.  He  keeps  down  expenses  as  far  as  consistent  with 
the  advertising  and  carrying  on  of  his  business.  He  allows  no 
waste  or  leakage,  no  extravagant  use  of  materials,  but  does  his 
business  with  as  little  outlay  as  possible.  In  other  words,  he  spends 
as  little  and  takes  in  as  much  as  he  can.  They  work  on  the  prin- 
ciple that  a  penny  saved  is  a  penny  earned,  and  so  while  they  study 
how  to  make,  they  study  how  to  save,  also.  This  is  where  some 
men  fail;  they  try  to  make  but  are  indifferent  about  saving,  and  al- 
low a  constant  waste  or  leakage  somewhere  in  their  business,  which, 
like  a  cancer,  eventually  eats  them  up.  There  is  such  a  thing,  how- 
ever, as  a  man  being  too  saving.  I  mean,  penurious  and  small  in 
his  ideas  and  expenditures,  not  liberal  enough  for  his  own  interest; 
that  is  the  other  extreme.  In  the  former  case  he  loses  by  careless 
waste,  in  the  latter  by  being  penny  wise  and  dollar  foolish.  Gen- 
erally the  men  who  give  largely  for  benevolent  purposes,  are  very 
economical  in  business  and  in  their  mode  of  living.  The  careless 
spendthrift  and  high-living  class  do  not  have  much  to  give  or  else 
are  not  that  way  inclined,  so  that  the  economical  class,  as  a  rule,  do 
the  most  good  with  their  money,  providing  they  have  enough  lib- 
erality to  prevent  them  from  being  stingy  and  mean.  Economy 
which  is  the  medium  between  two  extremes,  either  of  which  may 
lead  a  man  to  poverty,  is  certainly  the  best  thing  for  a  business  man 
to  adopt  and  practice,  for  it  leadeth  unto  wealth.  Cents  make  dol- 
lars, and  it  is  the  little  driblets  that  some  men  think  too  small  to 
notice,  that  count  up  and  reduce  the  profits  so  largely  in  the  course 
of  a  year.  To  be  careful  over  little  things  is  to  become  master 
over  greater. 

Foresight  and  calculation  must  also  enter  into  the  business  man's 
composition,  that  he  may  guard  against  unseen  dangers  and  sur- 
prises of  a  financial  nature.     He  must  be  ready  to  meet  emergen* 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND   FAILURE.  1 51 

cies.  It  is  a  strong  point  in  the  qualifications  of  a  good  general, 
that  he  be  not  taken  by  surprise,  unawares  or  unprepared  to  meet 
die  enemy;  and  thus  it  should  be  with  the  business  man  who  is 
liable  to  be  affected  by  the  failure  of  others,  decline  of  trade  or 
prices,  panics,  bad  weather,  and  other  causes.  I  knew  of  a  wealthy 
business  man  in  the  West  who  had  a  note  against  him  for  eighty 
thousand  dollars,  and  some  one  or  more  of  his  enemies  started  a 
rumor  that  he  was  likely  to  fail,  or  some  such  story,  and  of  course 
he  was  suddenly  pressed  for  the  payment  of  the  note,  and  although 
It  came  u[)on  him  unawares  and  made  him  hop  around  lively  to  col- 
lect the  money,  he  managed  to  meet  it  and  saved  himself  and  his 
credit.  Another  case  which  will  illustrate  this  point,  is  that  of  a 
western  merchant  who  went  to  New  York  to  buy  goods.  He 
wanted  to  establish  his  credit  and  produce  a  good  impression,  so  he 
collected  all  the  money  he  could  possibly  get  together  and  took  it 
with  him  or  a  check  for  that  amount,  and  on  arriving  in  the  city 
proceeded  to  the  wholesale  house  he  had  been  doing  business  with 
and  began  selecting  goods;  after  a  while  the  salesman  saw  he  was 
buying  a  far  heavier  stock  than  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  doing 
at  one  time,  and  as  he  had  always  bought  on  time  the  salesman 
quietly  informed  the  proprietor  of  the  fact,  who  immediately  sent 
for  him  to  come  to  his  office,  which  was  just  what  he  anticipated.  As 
soon  as  the  western  merchant  stepped  in  the  proprietor  said:  "Ain't 
you  buying  pretty  heavy  this  time.'*"  "Well,  yes,"  said  he,  **I  am. 
1  thought  I  would  buy  about  twenty  thousand  dollars  worth  and  here 
is  the  check  for  it."  Suffice  it  to  say  his  credit  was  good  after  that, 
and,  I  presume,  no  more  questions  were  asked  about  how  much  he 
was  buying.  But  had  he  began  to  buy  heavy  without  anything  extra 
to  back  him,  he  would  have  injured  his  credit  and  consequently  his 
business.  So  men  must  look  ahead  and  calculate  on  the  cost  of 
their  undertakings  and  make  allowances  for  contingencies,  other- 
wise their  golden  plans  may  be  nipped  in  the  bud,  and  the  scowl  of 
disappointment  darken  their  brows.  If  a  man  intends  to  build  a 
house  he  must  first  sit  down  and  count  the  cost,  and  when  he  buys 
goods  and  contracts  debts,  he  must  closely  figure  on  the  amount, 
and  how  he  is  going  to  meet  his  obligations,  or  the  first  thing  he 
knows  he  will  be  involved  in  financial  difficulties  from  which  he 
may  not  be  able  to  extricate  himself;  all  for  the  want  of  calculation 
and  foresight.     In  proportion  as  men  cultivate  the  habit  of  looking 


152  BUSINESS   SUCCESS  AND   FAILURE. 

ahead  will  they  be  able  to  see  their  way  more  clearly  and  know 
what  is  best  to  do  and  not  to  do.  It  cultivates  a  sort  of  pro}>hetic 
nature,  and  [jroniincnt.  successful  business  men  as  well  as  specula- 
tors, are  those  vvhd  seem  to  know  beforehand  what  will  pay.  Some 
men  hardl)  ever  t(juch  a  thing  but  what  it  turns  into  gold,  while 
others  seem  to  meet  misfortune  in  nearly  everything  they  try;  it  is 
mostly  due  to  what  1  term  foresight  and  calculation,  and  if  a  man 
wants  this  talent  he  must  cultivate  it  constantly  by  trying  to  read 
the  signs  of  the  times,  tiie  course  certain  events  are  likely  to  take, 
b\'  makiiii^  comp.ii  isons  with  past  and  present  conditions  and  cir- 
cumstances, lie  must  also  have  a  good  knowledge  of  the  business 
w<)rld,  and  human  nature,  so  as  to  know  the  motives  that  actuate 
men  and  therefore  likely  to  bring  about  certain  results. 

Closely  allied  to  foresight  is  intuition  or  first  impressions,  which 
spring  from  the  same  faculty  that  gives  one  the  talent  to  read 
human  nature  or  faces  at  first  sight.  The  organ,  phrenologically. 
is  located  at  the  top  gnd  center  of  the  forehead,  and  is  large  in 
most  American  heads.  And  if  a  man  knows  how  to  use  this  very 
valuable  and  self-protecting  faculty,  it  will  do  more  than  anything 
else  to  carry  him  safely  through  life.  VVMienever  you  meet  a  stran- 
ger he  produces  an  instantaneous  impression  upon  your  mind  as  to 
his  merits  or  motives,  and  in  like  manner  when  a  man  makes  a  bus- 
iness pr<>iK)sition  or  suggestion  to  you,  there  will  arise  in  your  mind 
at  the  moment  an  impression  as  to  the  desirability  of  accepting  or 
rejecting  his  proposition,  or  as  to  the  value  and  merits  of  the  thing 
or  subject  presented,  whether  it  be  of  a  business,  social  or  profes- 
sional nature.  And  it  is  this  first  impression,  as  a  rule,  you  should 
be  governed  by,  and  shoidd  act  upon,  providing  your  faculty  of  in- 
tuition is  large,  which  any  good  phrenologist  or  physiognomist  can 
easily  tell  you,  or  which  you  can  find  out  by  making  a  few  tests  or 
trials  of  your  ability  to  read  people  by  first  impressions.  It  will 
require  a  little  experience  and  observation  on  your  part  to  know 
when  and  how  far  to  be  governed  by  these  impressions;  but  it  will 
pay  any  man  to  study  and  thoroughly  understand  the  workings  of 
his  mind  in  this  particular,  for  a  man's  success  or  failure  very  large- 
ly depends  upon  the  impressions  he  acts  upon.  Choosing  which 
course  to  pursue  in  reference  to  the  untried  future,  is  something 
like  a  iiavcicr  commg  to  a  point  where  another  road  branches  ofT, 
ind  he  ib  at  a  loss  to  know   which  to  take  to  reach  the  desired 


BUSINESS   SUCCESS   AND   FAILURE.  1 53 

place.  He  gets  an  impression  as  to  which  road  he  ought  to  take, 
and  upon  the  correctness  or  falseness  of  that  impression  depends 
his  pursuing  the  right  directi m.  He  will  most  likely  get  up  a  de- 
bate in  his  own  mind  as  to  which  roacl  to  take,  and  is  about  as  like- 
ly to  take  the  wrong  as  the  right,  unless  he  knows  which  impression 
to  follow,  and  it  is  just  so  in  business.  There  will  be  times  in  a 
man's  life,  when  he  will  be  puzzled  to  know  which  way  to  turn,  or 
what  direction  to  take,  and  would  it  not  be  worth  something  to  him 
to  kiiovv  which  of  the  many  impressions  that  crowd  upon  his  mind 
to  follow?  It  may  not  be  wise  to  follow  first  impressions  every 
time  and  in  every  case,  and  it  would  be  extremely  difficult  to  ex- 
plain on  paper  exactly  when  you  should  and  should  not  do  so,  but 
I  will  make  this  suggestion  from  my  own  experience  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  which  has  never  failed.  When  a  sort  of  prophetic  im- 
pression dawns  or  flashes  upon  your  mind  forti»moment  and  passes 
dway  ivithout  calling  up  a  question  as,«^tp*»wlie^rier  it  will  be  so  or 
not,  that  is  the  one  to  follow,  and  things-c-^ll'Jie  just  as  you  are  im.- 
pressed.  But  if  the  impression  so  come^^  lliat*  you  begin  to  think 
and  reason  the  matter  over,  or  comes  i/p  ?ig;iin  in  your  mind  a  few 
minutes  or  hours  or  days  afterwards,  ,t^ien  it  will  not  take  place. 
On  this  principle  I  frequently  know  things  or  see  things  in  my 
mind  just  as  correctly  and  positively  as  though  they  had  taken 
place.  The  greatest  difficulty  is  in  being  able  to  act  u[)on  them 
'7-ithout  arguing  or  reasoning  about  them  in  one's  own  mind.  Such 
impressions  are  higher  than  reason,  and  therefore  a  truer  light  to 
follow.  They  emanate  from  a  faculty  or  faculties  located  higher  up 
in  the  brain,  and  therefore  of  greater  importance.  I  say  faculties, 
for  I  am  not  sure  but  the  organ  of  spirituality  or  faith  gives  rise  to 
some  of  these  impressions.  All  people  may  not,  in  fact  do  not, 
have  them  so  strongly  marked,  but  a  great  many  have,  and  some 
few,  and  only  a  few,  I  fear,  make  good  use  of  them.  1  will  give  an 
illustration  of  how  these  impressions  work  and  how  they  may  be 
used.  P'or  instance:  I  had  an  engagement  with  a  gentleman  at  a 
certain  hour  and  something  was  to  turn  up  that  he  could  not  or 
would  not  be  on  hand.  I  should  be  sure  to  have  a  transient  im- 
pression to  that  effect,  but  if  the  impression  again  came  up  or  lin- 
gered on  my  mind  so  that  I  began  to  query  and  ponder  over  it  as 
to  whether  he  would  come  or  not,  I  should  know  the  impression 
amounted  to  nothing,  and  would  therefore  expect  to  see  him.     I 


s<P^ 


THE  BUSINESS  EYE. 

This  eye  is  skarp  and  shrewd  in  managing  human  nature  in  a  business  way,  and  for 
self-interest.  Can  tell  business  lies  whenever  necessary  to  gain  a  point  or  evade  exposing 
themselves  or  their  plans.  I  do  not  regard  it  as  a  thievish,  dishonest  eye,  by  any  means. 
It  generally  possesses  good  judgment  and  common  sense,  and  seems  well  adapted  to  plan 
and  manage.  Observe  the  drooping,  hanging  layer  of  flesh  over  the  outer  corner,  which 
is  the  sign  of  the  above  description. 


THE  HOG  EYE. 

Observe  the  small,  flat  form  of  this  eye,  and  the  lack  of  well  defined  eye-lids.  There 
is  nothing  noble  or  spiritual  in  its  expression.  It  is  simply  a  cunning,  animal  eye,*  almost 
destitute  of  soul  capacity. 


A' 


Thought,  talent  and  power  of  mind,  combined  with  pleasure,  generosity  and  consid- 
erable  mirthfulness.  The  wrinkles  running  outward  and  downward  from  the  eye,  gener- 
ally indicate  a  jolly,  laughing  nature,  or  one  who  can  enjoy  and  appreciate  mirth, 
especially  the  lines  running  from  the  outer  corner. 


\"> 


,50  BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

frequently  know  how  a  person  feels,  what  he  thinks  and  intends  to 
do  in  reference  to  a  matter  before  I  hear  from  him,  though  he  may 
be  hundreds  of  miles  away.  These  may  be  peculiar  impressions, 
and  I  do  not  know  how  many  people  have  them,  but  I  do  know 
that  thousands  have  what  I  term  first  impressions  about  people, 
characters  and  business  matters  at  first  sight,  and  when  they  act 
upon  them  come  out  all  right,  and  when  they  do  not,  are  generally 
sorry  for  it  afterwards.  And  a  great  many  business  men  will  sub- 
stantiate this  statement. 

Good  and  regular  habits  are  among  the  indispensable  qualifica- 
tions of  a  successful  business  man.  Not  but  what  bad  men  some- 
times become  wealthy,  but  it  never  does  them  any  good,  nor  any 
one  else,  and  their  apparent  success  is  but  for  a  season;  it  dies  with 
them  and  very  often  before  they  do.  As  a  rule,  a  young  man  who 
begins  life  by  sowing  his  wild  oats  and  running  into  various  kinds 
K^{  dissipation,  going  out  with  fast  young  company  and  returning 
home  all  hours  of  the  night,  is  not  the  man  who  ever  amounts  to 
much  and  becomes,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  word,  a  suc- 
cess. He  spends  his  money  too  freely;  unfits  his  mind- and  brain 
for  business;  neglects  his  duties  to  himself,  his  customers,  and  his 
office  or  store;  loses  self-respect,  ambition  and  energy,  without 
which  he  must  certainly  be  a  failure.  Dissipating  habits  will  bring 
a  man  to  a  financial  grave  about  as  quick  as  anything  I  know  of; 
for  just  as  consumption  saps  a  man's  constitution  and  literally  eats 
him  up,  so  bad  habits  eat  up  his  business  and  pocket-bf)ok,  and 
leave  him  a  wreck,  and  too  often  an  irreparable  one.  Sometimes 
men  prosper  for  years  and  then  suddenly  collapse,  because  they 
have  spent  their  money  to  gratify  some  passion,  either  for  drink, 
women,  or  an  extravagant  style  of  living;  or,  it  may  be,  to  satisfy 
the  passion  of  a  wife  for  dress.  Any  one  of  these  evils  is  «;ufficicnt 
to  ruin  a  man  unless  he  has  millions  to  fall  back  upon.  It  is  not 
every  man  who  can  bear  rapid  prosperity  or  the  inheritance  of 
wealth.  It  takes  a  well-balanced  mind,  with  considerable  self-con- 
trol, to  guard  against  the  intoxicating,  bewildering  and  exhilarating 
effects  of  swift  and  sudden  financial  prosperity.  The  man  who 
gradually  makes  his  money  by  hard  work,  knows  better  how  to  take 
care  of  it,  and  puts  on  less  airs  in  the  possession  of  it,  than  he  who 
gets  it  in  a  lump  with  little  or  no  effort  on  his  own  part.  The 
"swells"  of  society  and  that  class  known  as  "codfish  aristocracy,** 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  t$; 

who  make  a  great  display  and  pretensions  at  the  summer  resorts 
and  other  places  where  they  can  show  off,  are  not  the  really 
wealthy  class,  nor  amjoni^  those  who,  by  [)crs()nal  toil  and  industry 
have  climbed  to  the  top  of  financial  success.  There  seems  to  be 
three  ways  of  making  money,  viz.:  by  economy,  speculation,  and 
trading  or  general  business.  The  most  wealthy  men  are  very 
economical  in  their  method  of  conducting  business  and  living 
expenditures;  hence  do  not  pay  seven,  ten,  or  fifteen  dollars  a  day 
at  some  hotel  to  feed  their  stomachs  and  put  on  a  few  airs. 

The  last  element  o(  character  connected  with  business  success 
that  I  wish  to  notice  is  a  clear,  quick,  bright,  wide-awake  mind, 
which  enables  its  possessor  to  determine  at  a  glance  or  moment's 
reflection  whether  to  do  a  thing  or  not,  whether  to  make  a  certain 
business  move  or  purchase,  or  let  it  alone.  Make  a  business  propo- 
•sition  to  some  men,  and  they  are  like  some  women  who,  when  a 
man  proposes  marriage  to  them,  want  a  week  or  two  to  think  the 
matter  over,  while  some  men  have  minds  that  seem  to  work  like  a 
flash  of  lightning,  and  about  as  soon  as  a  suggestion  or  proposition 
is  fairly  before  them,  they  have  their  minds  made  up  and  are  ready 
to  say  yes  or  no.  1  do  not  mean  to  say,  however,  that  people 
sliould  not  give  important  questions  due  consideration,  or  that  it  is 
always  a  sign  of  smartness  and  foresight  to  hastily  decide  any  and 
everything.  What  I  mean  is  that  some  minds  see  through  a  thing 
quicker  and  clearer  than  others,  have  a  keener  business  perception 
as  to  what  is  right  and  best;  just  as  some  minds  can  solve  and  see 
through  a  mathematical  problem  easier  than  others,  and  unfold  or 
unravel  a  metaphysical  mystery  or  puzzle.  Such  minds  are  gener- 
ally free  from  passion,  and  possessed  of  a  good  degree  of  intellec- 
tual vigor,  if  not  physical,  as  well.  They  are  born  bright  and  sharp, 
and  begin  to  develop  that  peculiar  gift  early  in  life,  and  unless  very 
serious  obstacles  oppose  their  progress  through  life,  are  pretty  sure 
to  be  successful  in  business.  The  clearness  of  people's  minds  in 
general,  however,  will  depend  largely  upon  the  condition  of  their 
livers  and  blood;  hence  whatever  kind  of  food  or  habits  of  life  tend 
to  derange  the  liver  and  blood  may  also  be  the  means  of  injuring 
men  in  their  business  career.  I  received  a  severe  lesson  in  this 
respect  myself  some  years  ago,  which  1  shall  never  forget.  I  had 
arranged  to  give  a  lecture  on  a  certain  evening,  and  about  a  day 
before  the  time  1  was  taken  with  a  t)iliou§  attack;  my  liver  being 


158 


BUSINESS  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 


sluggish  in  Its  action.  I  was  in  a  dilemma  what  to  do,  as  it  was  a 
special  occasion  and  I  did  not  wish  to  disappoint  my  audience, 
though  I  knew  I  was  in  no  condition  to  speak.  I  walked  up  and 
down  the  street  trying  to  wear  or  throw  off  the  stupor  of  my  brain, 
but  did  not  succeed.  The  hour  came  and  I  attempted  to  lecture, 
though  my  head  was  more  like  that  of  a  man  drunk  than  sober.  I 
soon  found  after  I  began  lecturing,  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to 
think  clearly  and  intelligently,  and  I  blundered  through  as  best  I 
could.  Suffice  it  to  say  I  spoiled  my  lecture,  made  a  poor  impres- 
sion upon  the  audience  and  'njured  myself  in  the  estimation  of  the 
people  professionally.  Of  course  I  ought  not  to  have  lectured,  but 
being  sick  I  did  not  seem  to  know  what  to  do,  my  brain  was  so 
muddled.  That  taught  me  a  lesson.  I  saw  if  I  was  going  to  lec- 
ture (for  that  was  in  the  beginning  of  my  career)  I  must  take  care 
of  my  liver  and  have  a  clear  mind.  A  man  should  be  very  careful 
how  he  operates  in  business  and  what  decisions  he  comes  to  when 
his  liver  is  out  of  order,  because  not  only  is  his  mind  befogged,  but 
he  feels  blue  and  despondent,  and  consequently  looks  on  the  dark 
side  of  the  picture,  and  if  his  organ  of  cautiousness  is  very  large  he 
is  afraid  to  move  almost  for  fear  of  some  calamity  or  misfortune, 
and  is  very  apt  to  do  the  very  thing  to  bring  trouble  upon  him  in- 
stead of  avoiding  it;  just  as  some  people  in  looking  over  a  deep 
precipice  become  so  dazed  and  stupefied  that  they  loose  presence  of 
mind  and  jump  over.  In  the  spring  of  1881,  I  met  a  man  at  Wat- 
kins  Glen,  N.  Y.,  who  was  visiting  one  of  the  gorges  there.  He  had 
got  there  ahead  of  me  and  wanted  to  go  further  up,  but  there  was 
a  narrow  stream  to  step  over  just  above  one  of  the  falls.  The  small 
boy  would  have  jumped  over  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  but  his 
caution  was  so  large  that  he  was  afraid  to  venture,  and  would  have 
returned  without  seeing  one-quarter  of  the  gorge  if  I  had  not  met 
him  and  went  along  with  him.  In  fact,  his  fear  awakened  some  in 
myself,  for  although  it  was  but  a  simple  place  to  step  or  jump  over, 
there  was  danger  in  one  slipping  and  being  washed  over  the  preci- 
pice. During  the  summer  season  the  place  is  fixed  up  safe  for  vis- 
itors, but  this  was  before  the  season  had  opened,  and  the  ice  and 
snow  during  the  winter  had  washed  away  many  of  the  safeguards. 
So  one  nervous,  frightened  or  despondent  man  in  business  will  often 
frighten  half  a  dozen  others.  The  best  thing  for  people  to  do  in 
battling  through  life  is  to  keep  a  stiff  upper  lip,  be  courageous,  calm 
and  hopefulp  and  keep  their  minds  and  brains  as  clear  as  possible 


FLIRTATION, 


fhe  Art  of  Flirting— What  it  Springs  from— A  Soft  Flirt— Sunday-School  Flirts— Summcf 
Resort  Flirts — Church  Flirts — Charge  of  the  Light- Headed  Blondes — Two  Kinds 
of  Flirtation — A  Family  of  Flirts — Mistaken  Ideas  of  Flirting — Its  Effect  upon  the 
Affections—  Why  Flirting  is  an  Evil — Its  Impress  on  the  Face — Mental  Effects  of 
Flirtation— How  it  acts  upon  the  Religious  Character  of  Persons — The  Influence  of 
the  Music  Organs — The  Conscience  of  Flirts — A  Polite  Flirt — High  School  Flirts 
— A  Green  Flirt  from  the  Country  and  his  Experience — Changeableness  of  Flirts — 
Poetry — A  Theater  Flirt — Flirting  in  Salem,  Mass. — Two  Sabbath-School  Pupils — 
Men  Flirts — Drummers  and  Agents — Men  often  Wrongfully  Accused  of  Insulting 
Ladies  on  the  Street — Half  Recognition  and  Full  Recognition  of  Acquaintances 
by  Ladies — School  Girls,  and  how*  one  of  them  Acted — Inherited  Tendencies  to 
Flirt— A  Funny  Little  Girl— A  Flirt's  Letter— Poetry— A  Flirt's  Diary— Dishonest 
Flirts— Their  Business  Qualities — Soft  Young  Men — An  Old  Flirt  in  Chicago — The 
Kind  of  Minds  that  Flirt — Superficial  Education — Poetry. 


Flirting  is  the  art  of  forming  acquaintances  and  carrying  on 
conversation  in  an  improper  manner  and  with  improper  feehngs; 
receiving  and  giving  attentions  with  improper  motives.  It  is  the 
giving  out  and  calling  out  the  affections  without  being  in  earnest 
—  the  prostitution  of  the  affections — the  mere  animal  impulse 
similar  to  that  manifested  by  dogs.  It  is  a  sort  of  social  theft — a 
sneaky,  underhand,  covert  way  of  enlisting  and  drawing  out  the 
feelings  and  affections.  It  springs  from  a  perverted  combination  of 
amativeness  and  mirthfulness,  with  generally  a  light,  frivolous 
character;  the  latter  being  chiefly  produced  by  novel  reading,  which 
makes  girls  Hght-headed,  silly  and  adventurous,  and  boys  bold, 
daring  and  reckless.  These  two  faculties  combined  give  first,  a  de- 
sire to  talk  with  and  be  in  the  company  of  the  opposite  sex,  which 
desire  arises  from  amativeness;  ansjl,  secondly,  a  desire  for  a  mys- 
terious, maneuvering  and  funny  way  of  making  acquaintances  and 
then  conversing  with  and  managing  them,  which  desire  springs 
from  animal  cunning  and  the  organs  of  human  nature  and  mirthful- 
ness. This  last  faculty  gives  persons  a  desire  to  experiment,  to  try 
something  new,  and  also  imparts  a  disposition  to  make  fun,  as 
well  as  the  talent  to  perceive  the  absurd  and  the  ridiculous.     It  is 


l6o  FLIRTATION. 

not  simply  getting  acquainted  with  people  without  an  introduction 
that  I  term  flirting,  but  rather  the  sly,  mysterious,  half-ashamed, 
cunning,  unmanly  and  unwomanly  way  of  doing  it;  the  silly  man- 
ner of  talking  and  acting,  as  well  as  the  silly  and  trashy  conversa- 
tion carried  on,  which  is  generally  more  soft  and  stupid  than  baby 
talk.  An  example  of  this  I  saw  in  a  girl  going  home  in  the  street 
cars  one  night,  who  related  in  the  presence  and  hearing  of  all  the 
other  passengers  what  a  young  man,  who  had  been  flirting  with  her 
during  the  day,  said  to  her. 

All  flirts,  however,  are  not  quite  as  soft  as  she  was.  Many  of 
them  have  just  enough  sense  and  secretiveness  to  keep  things  to 
themselves,  especially  in  public.  Flirts  never  think  they  are  soft, 
nor  are  the  most  of  them  willing  to  admit  they  ever  do  such  a  thing. 
In  fact,  it  makes  them  mad  to  be  told  they  flirt,  but  while  they  do 
not  like  to  be  accused  of  it,  they  like  to  do  it  all  the  same.  They 
remind  me  of  two  convicts  I  talked  with  in  the  penitentiary  on 
Blackwell's  Island,  N.  Y.,  one  a  woman,  the  other  a  man.  When  I 
asked  the  woman  what  she  was  there  for,  she  replied,  '*  O,  for  a 
very  simple  thing:  some  ladies  accused  me  of  stealing,  and  I  was 
sent  here,"  intimating  that  she  was  being  wrongfully  punished. 
And  when  I  asked  the  man  what  he  was  there  for,  he  said,  "For 
nothing.  I  was  just  walking  along  the  street  and  a  policeman 
came  up  and  arrested  me."  There  are  very  few  criminals  who  are 
willing  to  own  up  that  they  are  guilty  or  justly  punished,  and  that 
is  about  the  way  with  flirts;  they  like  the  fun  of  flirting,  but  not  the 
name.  Many  of  them  have  not  sense  enough  to  see  that  they  are 
soft,  silly  and  flirty.  A  young  and  pretty  saleslady  in  Chicago,  fresh 
from  the  country,  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  and  was  flirting 
with  a  young  man  at  her  stand  in  the  store.  When  spoken  to  in 
a  pleasant  way  about  it,  she  replied,  "Why.  I  don't  call  thai  flirt- 
ing, to  talk  with  a  person  I  know."  "How  long  have  you  known 
him.-*"  was  the  question  asked.  "Why."  said  she,  "1  have  known 
him  two  or  three  weeks!"  N.  P.  Willis,  the  poet,  says  a  flirt  is  like 
a  dipper  attached  to  a  hydrant;  every  one  is  at  liberty  to  drink 
from  it,  but  no  one  desires  to  carry  it  away. 

Though  flirts  are  generally  shallow-brained  and  ol  a  low  order 
of  intelligence,  with  some  exceptions,  of  course,  they  ;ire  invariably 
shrewd  and  well  informed  on  two  points.  They  know  wheic  the 
best  place  is  to  flirt,  and  how  to  do  it;  in  oth^r  wurds,  they  under- 


l^URTATION.  lell 

stand  their  business,  and  prefer  city  life  to  that  of  the  country;  and 
the  larger  and  gayer  the  city  the  better.  A  young  woman  of  a 
flirty  nature,  stopping  at  a  boarding-house  where  I  was  in  I'hila- 
delphia,  said  she  would  rather  live  in  New  York  than  in  heaven 
almost,  though  she  had  never  seen  New  York,  and  if  she  clings  to 
that  sentiment  long  will  probably  never  see  heaven  eitiier.  As  to 
their  ingenious  ways  of  making  acquaintances  or  trying  to  do  so, 
one  or  two  instances  will  serve  to  illustrate.  Walking  along  Fifth 
Avenue,  New  York,  one  winter,  I  observed  three  young  ladies 
having  a  lively  time  just  ahead  of  me.  The  middle  one,  seeing  a 
favorable  opiu-)rtunity,  slipped  and  tumbled  down  on  the  pavement 
accidentally  on  purpose,  and  as  gracefully  as  a  swan  glides  into  the 
water.  She  was  in  no  hurry  to  get  up,  nor  did  the  others  seem  to 
be  in  a  hurry  to  help  her  up  till  I  got  about  up  to  them,  when  the 
other  two  lazily  and  laughingly  took  her  by  each  arm,  and  as  they 
helped  her  up  she  turned  her  head  around  and  looked  at  me  in  an 
arch  and  knowing  way,  as  much  as  to  say,  "Are  you  not  going  to 
help  too?"  Another  young  woman  I  met  in  my  travels,  who  was  an 
exception  to  the  rule,  and  was  free  to  own  up  that  she  liked  to  flirt, 
told  me  how  she  and  another  girl  who  were  at  church  one  evening 
wanted  to  get  up  a  flirtation  with  the  young  man  who  took  up 
the  collection.  They  were  puzzled,  she  said,  to  know  how  to  begin, 
but  quick  as  thought  almost  they  discovered  a  plan.  So  when  he 
passed  around  the  collection  plate  they  put  in  some  chestnut  shells. 
That  made  him  blush,  as  he  had  to  pass  the  plate  to  others  who 
saw  the  nut  shells.  (But  what  do  daring  flirts  care  about  making  a 
young  man  blush;  they  rather  like  it,  bec?use  it  goes  to  show  that 
he  is  sensitive,  tender  and  fresh  in  the  business.)  But  that  funny 
little  trick  told  its  tale  and  its  effect  upon  the  young  man.  He  took 
the  hint,  and  when  he  had  turned  the  miscellaneous  collection  of 
money,  nut-shells  and  perhaps  a  few  buttons  into  the  Lord's  treas- 
1  ury,  and  church  was  dismissed,  he  followed  the  two  flirts.  They 
^erc  on  the  lookout,  of  course,  and  saw  him  coming.  Accommo- 
dating creatures  as  flirts  sometimes  are,  they  must  give  him  a 
chance  to  speak  and  get  acquainted  without  being  rude,  as  he  was 
a  church-going  young  man,  hence  when  he  was  about  up  to  them 
one  of  them  slipped  down  upon  the  sidewalk  in  a  way  that  girls 
know  how  to  do.  Gallant  young  man,  only  too  glad  for  the  chance, 
stepped  forward  and  picked  her  up,  was  thanked,  of  course,  and 


i()2  fURTATIOK. 

in  return  requested  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her  home,  which  wal 
readily  granted.  The  other  girl  seeing  how  well  the  slipping  bus- 
iness worked  thought  she  would  try  it  also,  in  order  to  attract 
special  attention  to  herself.  Girls,  however,  who  slip  down  on 
purpose  for  young  men  to  slip  up  (and  pick  them  up),  should  be 
careful  or  they  may  keep  on  slipping  till  they  slip  down  to  hell. 

There  were  two  flirts  with  features  fair, 
And  heads  adorned  with  auburn  hair; 
And  though  they  looked  so  very  cute, 
They  were  often   dull  and  mute. 

Said  one  flirt  unto  the  other: 
«'\Vhat  shall  we  do  to  catch  a  feller?" 
The  other  said:  "To  church  we'll  gol 
And  there  perchance  we'll  catch  a  beau." 

''Agreed!  'tis  there  we'll  wend  our  way; 
*Tis  there  we'll  speak  but  never  pray; 
And  look  so  innocent  and  meek, 
We'll  have  a  beau  within  a  week." 

So  off  to  the  meeting  they  went, 
And  there  to  their  feelings  gave  vent; 
The  old  folks  sighed,  the  young  ones  smiled. 
And  the  flirts  looked  modest  and  mild. 

So  beaus  they  came  and  beaus  they  went. 
Till  the  winter  was   nearly  spent; 
But  they  couldn't  get  married  that  way. 
So  they  both  pack'd  up  and  left  one  day. 

When  lecturing  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  I  visited  a  Sabbath -school 
in  the  afternoon,  and  noticed  a  rather  handsome,  well-dressed 
young  lady  trying,  or  rather  pretending  to  teach  a  ciass  of  boys, 
but  she  was  really  more  interested  in  flirting  with  a  young  man  who 
was  sitting  in  the  seat  adjoining  hers.  She  had  no  control  over  the 
boys  whatever,  nor  was  she  making  any  good  impression  on  their 
minds.  Putting  flirts  into  Sunday-school  classes  is  a  great  mis- 
take, and  a  decided  injury  to  those  placed  under  their  charge. 

While  stopping  at  Old  Orchard  Beach,  near  Portland,  Maine,  a 
young  lady,  of  a  thoughtful  and  devotional  turn  of  mind,  concluded 
she  would  get  the  young  people  of  the  hotel  together  and  hold  a 
Bible  class.  She  quietly  got  six  or  eight  seated  on  the  steps  facing 
the  ocean.     Most  of  them  were   inclined  to  study  the  Bible  with 


FLIRTATION.  163 

reverence,  but  there  were  two  flirts,  one  particularly,  who  joined 
the  party  just  for  sport.  She  would  have  no  Bible,  she  only  wanted 
to  look  on  and  listen,  but  her  ambition  seemed  to  be  to  make  light 
of  every  thing  said;  to  laugh  and  make  others  laugh;  while  her 
conduct  was  most  frivolous  and  disgusting.  Flirts  have  very  little 
reverence  for  any  day,  place,  occasion  or  person.  I  remember  three 
or  four  young  people  who  would  feel  insulted  to  be  considered  any- 
thing short  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  remained  to  witness  the 
partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  one  of  the  large  churches  of 
Chicago.  They  were  seated  among  the  members  of  the  church, 
but  their  irreverent  and  disrespectful  behavior  annoyed  and  pained 
the  hearts  of  all  Christians  who  were  compelled  to  witness  their 
whisperings  and  smiling,  and  their  unbecoming  actions.  I  remem- 
ber another  instance  where  two  young  ladies  (though  the  word 
ladies  is  too  good  to  be  applied  to  such  characters)  laughed  as 
hard  as  they  could  without  making  a  noise,  while  the  choir  was 
singing  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  a  church  in  Saratoga.  This  flirtation 
business  in  churches  has  got  to  a  pitch  which  is  almost  intolerable. 
Why,  there  is  a  prominent  church  in  the  West,  where,  a  few  years 
ago,  the  young  people  when  inquiring  of  their  acquaintances  if  they 
intended  going  there  in  the  evening,  would  say:  "Are  you  going 
to  Rev.  — —  matinee  to-night  .!^" 

I  once  attended  a  church  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  where  the  conduct 
of  half-a-dozen  young  flirts  in  front  of  me  was  so  annoying  that  I 
concluded  a  httle  change  in  the  wording  of  Tennyson's  "Charge  of 
the  Light  Brigade  "  might  be  truthfully  applied  to  them. 

CHARGE  OF  THE  LIGHT-HEADED  BLONDES. 


Half  a  league,  half  a  league, 

Half  a  league  onwardi 
All  in  the  pews  of  the  church 
Strolled  the  six  flirts. 
Forward  the  Light  Brigadel 
Charge  for  some  fun,  they  said. 
Into  the  pews  of  the  church 
Strolled  the  six  flirts. 

Forward  the  Light  Brigade! 
Was  there  a  one  dismayed? 
Not  though  they  all  well  knew 


£04  FLIRTATION. 

That  they  had  blundered — 
Theirs  not  to  pray  or  cry, 
Theirs  not  to  reason  why, 
Theirs  but  to  flirt  and  die — 
Into  the  pews  of  the  church 
Strolled   the  six   flirts. 

Flirts  to  the  right  of  me — 
Flirts  to  the   left   of  me — 
Flirts  in  the  front  of  me — 
Whispered   and  giggled  ; 
Stormed  at  with   looks  and   frowitf 
Boldly  they  sat  like  clowns! 
Into  the  jaws  of  death, 
Into  the  mouth  of  hell, 
Stroll  such  wicked   flirts! 

Flashed  all  their  faces  bare — 
Flashed   as  they  turned  in  ail 
Sab'ring   the   fellows    there!. 
Charging  the  audience,  while 

All   around  wondered — 
Plungtd  111  passion's  smoke, 
Right   through  good  manners  brokel 
The  church  and   people 
Reeled   from   their  daring  stroke 

Almost   bewildered — 
As  in  the  pews  of  the  church 
Sat  the  six   flirts- 
Flirts  to  the  right  of  me — 
Flirts  to  the  left  of  me— 
Flirts  from   behind  me — 

Whispered   and   smiled. 
Stormed   at   with   looks  of  shame. 
While   people   went   and  came, 
They  thai  had   lough t   so  well 
With  love's  bow  and    arrow. 
Rushed  from  their  seats  in  church. 
All  that  was  left  of  them— 

Left  of  those  six   flirts — 

Those   wicked   six   flirts! 

When  can   their   mem'ry   fadeP 
O,   the   wild   charge   they   madel 

All   around   wondered — 
Shame  on  the  charge  they  made' 
Shame  on  that  Light  Brigade! 
Those  wicked  six  flirU. 


FLIRTATION.  165 

There  are  two  kinds  of  flirtation;  one  is  when  a  lady  or  gentle- 
man makes  a  business  of  forming  the  acquaintance  of  a  second 
party,  and  keeping  such  company  regularly,  perhaps  exclusively, 
for  two  or  three  months,  and  perhaps  a  year;  favoring  this  party 
with  all  the  courtesies  of  courtship,  bestowing  marks  of  esteem  and 
tokens  of  love,  then  dropping  his  or  her  society  and  playing  the 
same  role  of  endearment  with  a  second,  third,  and  sometimes  a 
dozen  different  individuals.  Sometimes  these  heartless  specimens 
of  humanity  will  even  go  so  far  as  to  become  engaged,  frequently 
to  two  or  three  persons  at  the  same  time.  Such  performances  are 
martyrdom  to  the  affections  and  suicide  to  the  soul!  Many  a  man 
and  woman  have  been  completely  broken  down  in  spirit  and  ruined 
for  life  by  such  unholy  and  devilish  tricks.  No  person  having  an 
ordinary  amount  of  moral  principle  would  be  guilty  of  such  a  thing. 
Occasionally  experienced  flirts  try  their  arts  on  one  another;  then 
it  is  diamond  cut  diamond,  and  they  practically  say  to  each  other 
in  the  language  of  some  writer: 

"In  vain  you  strive  with  all  your  art. 
By  turns  to  fire  and  freeze  my  heart." 

I  remember  a  family  in  which  there  were  three  or  four  young 
ladies,  all  of  them  affected  more  or  less  with  the  flirtation  disease. 
One  of  them  had  deceived  a  young  man  for  over  a  year;  and  the 
second  had  promised  to  marry  a  gentleman  who  went  to  the  ex- 
pense of  building  a  house,  only  to  be  left  a  forlorn,  broken-hearted 
man.  Such  women  and  men  are  nothing  more  nor  less  than  soul- 
murderers!  Death  is  the  penalty  for  those  who  murder  the  body, 
but  they  who  thus  murder  the  soul  are  frequently  considered 
smart,  winning  and  captivating.  And  another  statement  by  N.  P. 
Willis  is  applicable  to  the  above  class  of  women,  when  he  says: 
"A  coquette  is  one  who  tries  on  hearts  like  shoes,  and  throws  them 
away  with  as  little  ceremony  as  misfits  of  morocco." 

I  do  not  consider  it  flirtation  when  a  gentleman,  through  ac- 
quaintanceship or  friendship,  calls  upon  one  or  more  ladies  occa- 
sionally, and  takes  them  out  for  a  walk,  to  church,  to  a  lecture  or 
some  place  of  amusement,  without  making  any  demonstration  of 
love  beyond  ordinary  attachment.  Nevertheless,  this  is  what  some 
persons  improperly  term  flirtation.  There  are  many  young  ladies 
not  satisfied  with  the  occasional  call  and  company  of  respectable 
young  men,  in  a  social,  friendly  way,  but  must  have  one  exclusively^ 


1 66  FLIRTATION. 

or  none  at  all.     They  are  of  the  same  mind  as  a  senator's  little  girl, 

only  nine  years  old,  that  was  listening  to  some  conversation  in  the 
parlor  about  beaus,  when  she  wittingly  chimed  in:  "If  I  had  a  beau 
and  he  went  with  any  other  girl,  I  would  sit  down  on  him."  I  hold 
that  no  young  lady  or  gentleman  has  any  right  to  the  exclusive 
company  of  another,  unless  it  be  in  pure  courtship  with  intention 
of  marriage.  Nor  is  this  a  matter  of  mere  opinion,  bilt  it  is  the 
teachmg  of  phrenological  science.  To  be  constantly  making  love 
just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing,  is  to  prostitute  the  affections  as  really 
as  improper  sexual  intercourse  is  prostitution  of  the  body;  and, 
moreover,  the  former  is  invariably  the  cause  or  preparatory  step  to 
the  latter.  Persons  do  not  become  prostitutes  and  libertines  until 
the  affections  are  disturbed,  injured,  wounded,  or  made  abnormal  in 
some  way.  1  maintain,  therefore,  that  it  would  be  far  better  for 
young  people,  morally,  socially  and  intellectually,  to  mingle  in  a 
more  general  social  manner,  instead  of  being  on  close,  intimate 
terms  for  brief  occasions  with  different  individuals.  Such  a  course 
of  action  would  do  more  to  break  up  flirtation  than  any  other 
means  I  know  of,  because  one  reason  for  young  people  flirting  is 
the  desire  lor  the  company  of  the  opposite  sex.  Making  love 
should  never  be  carried  on  unless  one  is  in  earnest  about  it.  The 
reason  why  a  more  general  and  social  mingling  between  the  sexes 
is  preferable  to  exclusive  association  for  short  periods,  or  where 
matrimony  is  not  intended,  is  because  the  affections  are  not  drawn 
out,  and  do  not  become  so  intensely  active,  disturbed  or  divided,  as 
they  are  liable  to  be  in  exclusive  association.  Young  people  want 
society  and  must  have  it;  otherwise  their  social  natures  will  suffer 
starvation;  but  they  must  be  careful  how  they  feed  them  —  what 
kind  of  social  food  they  take. 

Changing  the  affections  from  one  person  to  another  produces 
inconstancy,  because  it  diminishes  two  organs,  which,  when  large, 
keep  the  affections  centered  and  settled  upon  one  object.  Continuity 
and  conjugality  are  the  two  organs  that  are  injured  or  diminished 
in  size,  and  consequently  in  power,  by  flirtation.  Conscientiousness 
frequently  suffers  too,  while  amativeness  becomes  more  active  and 
grows  larger.  Hence,  the  entire  social  nature  is  thrown  out  of  bal- 
ance. I  am  aware  that  in  the  form  of  flirtation  I  have  been  alluding 
to,  the  affections,  as  a  rule,  are  not  strong  between  the  parties;  nev- 
ertheless, there  is  enough  love  about  it  to  leave  an  influence  behind. 


'  PLIRTATIOM.  1 6; 

The  second  kind  or  form  of  flirtation  is  Impfoper  promiscuous 
I     acquaintanceship  and  association;  a  species  of  disorderly  conduct 
practiced   by  persons  in  all  places  of  public  resort.     Two  persons 
become    partially   acquainted    for   the  time   being,   and   hold   social 
intercourse  in  an  unnatural  manner   and  throu^^h    unnatural   means 
It  is  unnatural  because  it  is  stealing  a  march  upon  the  affections  and 
done  with  improper  motives  and  feelings;  a  dishonest  use  and  exer- 
cise of  the  social  nature;  a  desecration  of  the  most  sacred  and  pow- 
erful feelings  or  functions  of  the  human  soul.     Mence,  flirtation  and 
proper  unrestrained  social   intercourse  bear  the  same   relation   to 
I    each  other  that  policy  does  to  principle,  or  dishonesty  to  honesty. 
I    I  am    not   arguing,  nor  do  I  believe,  that    forming  acquaintances 
^    without  an  introduction  is  of  itself  wrong,  or  necessarily  injurious; 
on  the  contrary,  some  of  the  strongest  and  purest  friendships  on 
earth  have  existed  and  do  exist  between  persons  who  have  acci- 
dentally and  innocently  come  together  without  any  formal  intro- 
duction.    For,  after  all,  introductions  are  in  most  cases  merely  a 
polite  way  of  initiating  persons  into  each  other's  society,  and  not  a 
guarantee  of  character  either  morally,  socially  or  intellectually. 

But  it  is  the  peculiar  manner,  the  unnatural  feelings,  and  im- 
proper or  unholy  thoughts,  which  flirts  must  necessarily  indulge  in, 
that  renders  the  practice  objectionable  and  evil.  Every  man  and 
woman  who  has  a  live  and  intelligent  conscience,  must  instinctively 
feel  a  sense  of  guilty  shame  creeping  over  and  darting  through  their 
hearts  when  in  pursuit  of  such  imaginary  pleasure.  It  is  a  kind  of 
feeling  that  destroys,  in  time,  the  nobility  of  the  soul,  and  belittles 
persons  even  in  their  own  estimation!     They  cannot  entirely  divest 

\  themselves  of  the  feeling  or  idea  that  they  are  doing  something 
they  ought  not  to  do,  or,  at  least,  something  of  a  questionable  char- 
acter. It  creates  in  persons  a  sly  and  somewhat  double-dealing 
disposition,  and  tends  to  decrease  their  frankness,  truthfulness  and 
uprightness.  All  flirts  (using  the  term  flirt  to  include  both  sexes) 
have  the  signs  of  their  character  plainly  written  or  indelibly  en- 

j  graved  upon  their  countenance;  and  these  can  only  be  removed  by 
the  gradual  transformation  of  their  characters.  Nor  does  it  require 
a  skilled  physiognomist  to  interpret  these  signs.  Anyone  possess- 
ing fair  ability  to  read  human  nature  will  readily  detect  the  language 
and  expression  of  flirtation,  as  represented  or  pictured  in  the  ex- 
pression of  the  face.     Say  not,  then,  that  flirtation  is  an  innocent 


168  FURTAT!e!4. 

amusement,  for  whosoever  thus  persuades  himself  or  hefself,  will 
assuredly  be  deceived. 

I  will  now  pass  on  to  treat  of  the  mental  effects  of  flirtation. 
And  in  order  to  make  it  clear  to  the  mind  of  the  reader,  I  will  first 
mention  the  organs  mostly  exercised  by  flirts.  They  are  amative- 
ness  and  mirthfulness  chiefly,  with  secretiveness  generally  in  addi- 
tion, and  with  experts,  a  mingling  of  human  nature.  For  the  benefit 
of  those  not  familiar  with  phrenological  language  and  its  meaning, 
I  will  define  the  organs  mentioned.  Amativeness  is  love  for  the 
opposite  sex  and  a  desire  for  their  company.  Mirthfulness  is  a  love 
or  a  desire  for  fun,  wit,  liveliness,  experimentiveness,  etc.  Secre- 
tiveness is  the  ability  to  conceal  and  restrain  one's  feelings;  to 
practice  tactics,  policy,  management  and  evasion.  Human  nature 
is  the  ability  to  read  others  by  the  expression  of  the  countenance; 
intuitive  perception  of  character  and  disposition.  It  also  assists 
persons  in  knowing  how  to  manage  as  well  as  understand  others. 
To  exercise  two  or  more  of  these  faculties  without  the  controlling 
and  counteracting  influence  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  organs,  will 
tend  to  make  one  light-headed,  frivolous,  sly  and  suspicious,  as  all 
flirts  are,  more  or  less.  That  is,  they  lack  thoughtfulness  and  solidity 
of  character,  and  are  prone  to  a  kind  of  mental  dissipation,  which 
destroys  the  essential  qualifications  of  the  true  man  and  woman,  viz.: 
common  sense,  and  a  practical  recognition  of  the  object  and  duties 
of  life.  Amativeness  and  m.irthfulness  being  the  two  principal 
organs  used  in  flirtation,  it  follows  that  the  thoughts  of  flirts  are 
mostly  centered  upon  the  opposite  sex  and  upon  fun;  hence,  the)- 
are  entirely  unfit  for  business  purposes,  or  to  fill  any  responsible 
position  in  life  requiring  attention  and  good  judgment. 

The  ungoverned  action  of  these  two  organs  likewise  prevents 
all  inclination  for  anything  of  a  serious  or  religious  nature.  Chris- 
tian flirts,  or  rather  flirts  belonging  to  a  church,  are  seldom,  if  ever, 
Christian  workers.  They  have  no  taste  or  desire  for  active,  earnest 
labor  for  the  good  of  others.  They  are  in  for  a  lively  time,  and  the 
little  piety  they  have  serves  only  to  take  them  to  church  and  mod- 
ify the  action  or  nature  of  their  feelings.  Not  a  few  young  people, 
some  of  them  members  and  some  merely  attendants,  will  carry  on 
their  flirtations  right  in  the  sanctuary  and  even  at  the  prayer  meet- 
ings. A  church  member  told  a  young  lady  if  she  wanted  to  get  a 
beau, to  come  to  the  prayer  meeting;  and  I  fear  that  to  many,  the 


FLIRTATION.  169 

faost  interesting  part  of  a  young  people's  prayer  meeting  is  the 
after  part.  One  need  not  go  to  a  theater  to  see  love  scenes;  Romeo 
and  Juliet  is  too  often  played  in  the  pews  and  galleries  of  our 
churches.  So  we  need  no  stronger  proof  of  its  demoralizing  influ- 
ence upon  the  character  and  religious  nature  of  young  persons. 

There  are  two  other  faculties,  however,  which  tend  to  lead  the 
young  into  the  practice  I  refer  to.  These  are  the  music  organs, 
time  and  tune,  which,  when  large  and  connected  with  an  active, 
lively  temperament,  render  persons  very  fond  of  dancing.  Hence, 
with  a  certain  class,  dancing  and  flirtation  are  connected,  and  in 
many  instances  dancing  parties  are  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
flirtation  parties;   at  least  one  leads  to  the  other. 

The  nature  and  evil  of  flirtation  thoughts  and  desires  is,  that 
they  lower  the  tone  and  quality  of  the  mind,  heart  and  spiritual 
nature.  They  weaken  one's  moral  principle,  and  make  dormant 
their  ambition.  The  whole  attention  is  thereby  turned  toward  and 
set  upon  the  opposite  sex.  Everything  else  is  of  secondary  consid- 
eration, because  amativeness  controls  all  the  other  organs.  It 
makes  causality,  the  reasoning  organ,  think  about  and  devise  ways, 
plans  and  schemes  for  holding  intercourse  wath  the  other  sex; 
makes  acquisitiveness  provide  means  for  mingling  in  their  society; 
makes  approbativeness  and  ideality  absorbed  in  dressing  well  and 
presenting  a  good  external  appearance;  makes  secretiveness  resort 
to  shrewdness  in  tactics  and  low  cunning,  in  order  to  secure  its 
object  or  carry  out  its  designs;  makes  conscientiousness  blind  and 
senseless,  so  that  it  sees  little  or  no  harm  in  the  practice.  When- 
ever amativeness  sits  enthroned  and  propels  and  controls  the  action 
of  all  the  other  organs,  there  will  be  trouble  and  degradation  in  the 
soul.  It  is  evident,  then,  that  to  concentrate  the  mind  on  the  sexes 
more  than  on  any  other  subject,  is  not  only  injurious  and  sinful,  but 
tends  to  insanity  on  that  subject. 

I  Flirts  have  very  little  conscience  in  matters  pertaining  to  social 
life.  They  are  liars  and  deceivers,  and  if  they  are  caught  in  a  lie 
and  brought  face  to  face  with  it,  they  will  generally  tell  another 
lie  by  denying  the  first  one.  That  is,  they  will  declare  they  never 
made  such  a  statement;  they  meant  something  else.  They  will 
deceive  their  best  friends  by  falsehood  and  a  make-believe  way  of 
acting;  for  when  a  girl  deceives  her  mother,  as  she  often  does,  she 
deceives  one  who  will  do  more  for  her  than  any  other  being  on 


i;o  ftiRTAtloii. 

earth.  That  girl  or  boy  who  does  not  make  a  confidant  of  her  or 
his  mother  (if  she  is  worthy  of  the  name  of  mother),  is,  in  plain  lan- 
guage, a  fool.  In  my  travels,  I  one  day  went  into  a  place  of  busi- 
ness where  I  met  a  young  girl,  an  entire  stranger,  who,  I  at  once 
concluded,  was  a  flirt,  and  taking  her  to  be  an  interesting  case,  I 
thought  I  would  try  her.  So  I  began  conversation  and  found  it 
only  required  about  five  minutes'  talk  to  make  a  conditional  en- 
gagement that  if  I  was  in  the  city  over  Sunday,  to  meet  her  in  the 
evening  coming  out  of  one  of  the  churches.  She  said  her  folks 
were  away  from  home,  and  she  had  been  having  a  lively  time  for 
the  last  week  or  two.  Her  oldest  brother  was  the  hardest  one  co 
manage,  as  he  watched  her  closely,  **but  as  far  as  mother  is  con- 
cerned," said  she,  "I  can  make  her  believe  anythiii!^."  In  many 
respects  she  was  a  nice  young  lady,  but  in  this  she  was  a  simpleton, 
because  she  would  flirt,  then  lie  to  deceive  her  mother.  It  is  really 
astonishing  how  such  girls  play  sharp  on  their  mothers  and  even 
their  fathers,  too.  Like  a  girl  who  wanted  to  take  part  in  some 
theatrical  performance  when  she  knew  her  father  would  decidedly 
object,  so  she  wrote  to  her  friend  as  follows:  "Jennie,  1  would  like 
to  take  part  ever  so  much  in  'Caste,'  but  cannot  unless  you,  wait 
for  papa  to  go  away,  which  will  be  in  the  course  of  two  or  three 
weeks,  possibly  sooner;  as  for  getting  mamma's  consent  I  think  that 
can  be  easily  done."  (Especially  if  her  mother  was  anything  like 
herself  when  young.) 

While  calling  at  the  office  of  a  superintendent  of  public  schools. 
in  Indiana,  I  found  him  engaged  in  giving  an  earnest  lecture  of 
reproval  to  one  of  the  high  school  pupils,  for  playing  truant.  She 
was  evidently  a  flirt,  too,  for  she  carried  the  signs  of  it  strongly  in 
her  face;  and  that  was  what  she  played  truant  for.  She  would  get 
her  father  to  write  letters  to  be  excused  from  school,  while  her 
mother  knew  nothing  about  it;  and  her  father  would  probably 
think  she  was  doing  errands  for  her  mother.  I  remember  the  case 
of  a  young  man  in  Iowa,  whom  I  saw  one  winter  day,  just  out  of 
school  at  noon.  A  man  was  distributing  circulars,  and  as  in  passing 
along  he  offered  him  one,  I  noticed  he  refused  it,  remarking,  as  an 
excuse,  it  was  too  cold  to  take  his  hands  out  of  his  pocket;  but  I 
observed  it  was  not  too  cold  for  him  to  stand  up,  or  rather  lean 
against  a  tree,  and  wait  for  a  girl  to  come  along.  It  is  never  too 
cold  to  flirt. 


FLIRTATION.  17^ 

Sometimes  flirting  is  rather  an  expensive  kind  of  business,  espe- 
j  ctally  when  one  of  the  parties  is  green  or  has  a  soft  spot  somewhere 
in  his  brain,  h'ke  a  man  who  came  to  visit  the  Chicago  Exposition, 
and  became  interested  in  one  of  the  salesladies  who  happened  to 
be  pleasing  and  fascinating  in  her  ways,  and  a  sharp  flirt.  He 
bought  five  dollars'  worth  of  things  and  gave  them  to  her;  also, 
took  a  nice  ring  off  his  finger  and  gave  her  that;  invited  her  out  to 
sup[)er,  and,  in  fact,  was  very  kind,  attentive  and  generous.  The 
girl  took  all  he  had  to  give,  but  as  she  thought  the  five  dollars 
'  would  be  more  useful  than  the  goods,  she  put  them  in  the  case 
again  and  pocketed  the  money.  I  presume  that  affectionate  but 
sim[)le  man  expects  to  hear  from  his  would-be  sweet-heart  yet,  but 
if  I  am  not  much  mistaken  he  will  be  a  sadder  and  wiser  man  before 
that  time  arrives.  Rings  and  hearts  are  sometimes  given  in  ex- 
change, but  it  is  rather  a  risky,  uncertain  piece  of  business  to  try 
to  ri«ig  the  heart  of  a  flirt,  especially  a  city  flirt;  and  if  you  should 
chance  to  awaken  tender  emotions  in  her  treacherous  heart,  there 
is  no  telling  how  long  they  will  last,  for  the  truth  of  the  matter  is, 
a  flirt  is  very  much  like  a  colt,  and  trying  to  catch  one  is  like  try- 
ing to  harness  and  drive  a  spirited,  refractory  and  frisky  steed.  It 
takes  hard  labor  to  get  such  an  animal  tamed  down.  Thus  it  is 
with  frisky,  flirty  young  women;  they  never  seem  to  get  tamed 
down  in  their  nature  till  they  are  married  and  become  mothers  of 
two  or  three  children;  then  a  portion  of  them  get  sensible,  while 
some  of  them  carry  their  flirting  on  as  long  as  they  have  power  to 
attract  attention. 

The  lack  of  continuity,  which  imparts  a  desire  for  change,  is 
another  cause  of  flirtation.  Hence,  the  desire  to  change  from  one 
person  to  another,  like  a  squirrel  or  a  bird  hopping  from  branch  to 
branch  and  from  tree  to  tree.  In  fact,  flirts  are  regular  busy-bees; 
they  pass  from  one  person  to  another,  trying  to  get  a  little  fun  and 
love  here,  and  a  little  there,  and  a  little  all  over.  Then  they  are 
about  as  changeable  as  the  wind;  they  smile  softly  and  sweetly  on 
you  to-day,  and  to-morrow  they  smile  again,  but  not  quite  as  soft 
or  sweet,  and  by  the  third  day  they  have  changed  their  tune  and 
smile  no  more — they  have  cauglit  another  fish! 

O  for  a  flirt,  a  charming  flirt. 

With  eyes  so  bright  and  heart  so  free; 

Whose  love  comes  out  in  rapid  sports, 
Amd  dies  awa?  ^o  man  t»  fei. 


4f2  FLIRTATION, 

O  for  a  flirt,  a  lively  flirt, 

With  pretty  nose  and  under  Up, 
Who  never  will  a  victim  hurt 

Except  to  let  him  gently  slip. 

O  the  sly  flirts,  those  funny  flirts, 

With  eyes  so  bright  with  youthful  glee; 

Whose  fickle  love  but  roams  and  flits 
Like  restless  birds  from  tree  to  tree! 

O  the  sweet  flirts,  the  dizzy  flirts. 

With  hearts  so  soft  and  brains  so  small 

They  scarce  know  what  to  do  but  flirt, 
And  spend  their  evenings  at  some  balL 

O  the  poor  flirts,  the  brazen  flirts. 

With  wicked  hearts  and  roguish  eyes, 
Whose  love  bursts  out  in  sudden  spurts 

As  meteors  shoot  across  the  skiesl 

O  the  wild  flirts,  the  daring  flirts. 

With  smiling  looks  and  winning  ways, 
Whose  souls  are  full  of  mirth  and  tricks 

Until  they  wilt  and  pass  away. 

O  the  fair  flirts,  the  naughty  flirts. 

Who  sometimes  wander,  sin  and  fall. 
Because  they  always  catch  a  flirt. 

And  tell  him  to  be  sure  and  call. 

So  crazy  with  the  flirting  mania  are  some  young  women,  that 
they  are  not  contented  when  they  have  the  society  of  a  gentleman, 
Dut  must  flirt  with  some  other  man,  even  in  his  presence.  I  heard 
of  a  case  of  this  kind  that  took  place  in  a  theater.  A  certain  young 
man  noticed  his  lady  (with  whom  he  was  keeping  company)  flirting 
with  a  man  seated  in  one  of  the  boxes.  He  did  not  like  that  kind  of 
fun,  but  he  was  equal  to  the  occasion  and  circumstances,  however, 
and  turning  round  to  his  lady  he  politely  asked  her  if  she  would 
like  to  make  his  acquaintance.  True  to  her  nature,  she  said  yes; 
so  he  left  his  seat  and  walked  over  to  the  man,  and  asked  him  if  he 
would  like  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  lady  he  had  been  notic- 
ing. He  replied  in  the  affirmative  also,  and,  of  course,  both  being 
agreed,  he  invited  him  over  and  introduced  him  to  his  lady,  re- 
marking, that  he  could  finish  it  out  and  take  her  home.  Having 
accomplished  his  object,  he  left  the  two  flirts  and  the  theater,  and 
never  spoke  to  her  or  called  on  her  afterwards.  Served  her  right  I 
Some  flirts  carry  on  this  insane  business  even  after  they  are  married, 
^nd  when  husband  or  mh  happ§n§  t9  be  away,  th§^  are  qff  wHh 


FLIRTATION.  1 73 

some  other  man  or  woman  for  an  evening  visit  or  a  walk,  or  to  some 
entertainment.  This  class  are  frequently  found  boarding  at  hotels, 
as  it  is  very  convenient  for  them  to  see  and  be  seen  there  without 
any  questions  being  asked. 

When  in  Salem,  Mass.,  the  place  where  a  number  of  supposed 
witches  were  put  to  death,  I  was  impressed  with  the  remarkable 
quietness  and  inactivity  of  the  city.  Everything  seemed  dead,  and 
there  was  a  lack  of  that  enthusiasm  which  generally  marks  the  cities 
of  the  West.  The  only  time  I  saw  a  ripple  of  excitement,  which 
made  things  and  people  appear  lively,  was  on  the  eve  of  Decoration 
Day,  1879,  when  the  young  people  from  the  factories  were  let  loose. 
Then  there  was  life  and  fun  by  the  wholesale,  for  I  saw  more  flirta- 
tion in  one  night  there  than  I  ever  witnessed  before  in  any  city  of 
the  Union  of  any  considerable  size.  One  would  think  that  both 
sexes  had  been  separated  and  shut  up  for  about  a  year,  and  were 
just  let  out,  so  wild  were  they  in  their  conduct.  Roaming  and 
pacing  up  and  down  the  sidewalks.,  like  hungry  lions  in  search  of 
prey,  they  marched  up  and  down  the  streets  singly,  in  pairs,  in 
triplets  and  quadruples,  laughing,  jesting  and  flirting  with  whom- 
soever they  could.  Young  men,  whom  the  girls  took  a  fancy  to, 
who  didn't  come  to  time  and  walk  up  by  the  side  of  them  quick 
enough,  they  would  punch  in  the  back,  or  tickle  them  in  the  neck 
with  a  little  switch.  Being  a  stranger,  I  was  spotted,  and  received 
more  or  less  attention,  sometimes  in  anxious  and  curious  looks  and 
occasionally  some  interesting,  short,  pithy  and  spicy  remarks  were 
addressed  to  me,  as  only  flirts  know  how  to  make,  such  as  "Halloa, 
whiskers ! "  Walking  on  a  few  yards,  another  pair  of  saucy  lips 
would  shout,  "Shoot  the  hat!"  While  a  third  charming  creature 
would  say  "Good  evening,  New  Yorker!"  Two  young  men  e^^i- 
dently  thought  they  could  flirt  better  if  they  could  manage  to  get 
two  of  the  girls  off  by  themselves,  so  to  accomplish  their  purpose, 
they  were  out  with  horse  and  buggy,  and  driving  slowly  along  the 
street  they  soon  got  the  attention  of  two  young  flirts.  Finally, 
they  drove  close  up  to  the  pavement,  and  the  girls  stopped  and  en- 
tered into  conversation  with  them.  They  were  coaxing  very  hard 
to  get  the  girls  into  the  buggy.  One  of  them  wanted  to  go,  the 
other  did  not;  then  they  tried  to  gently  pull  them  in,  and  to  all 
appearances  the  girls,  or  one  of  them,  was  about  to  step  in,  wher| 
^long  came  a  policeman  and  spoiled  their  little  game« 


174  FLIRTATIOH. 

This  incident,  just  mentioned,  reminds  me  of  a  similar  one  that 
occurred  in  Chicago.  Two  young  ladies,  pupils  of  a  large  Sabbath- 
school,  and  daughters  of  a  deacon,  were  out  walking  one  afternoon 
(I  think  they  had  been  to  a  matinee,  the  best  place  in  the  world  for 
flirting),  and  had  picked  up  two  young  men,  with  whom  they  were 
getting  on  the  street  cars,  when  an  acquaintance  of  the  family, 
seeing  what  was  going  on,  stepped  up  and  took  the  young  girls 
away,  and  sent  or  escorted  them  home.  Flirting  is  a  dangerous 
piece  of  business  for  anyone,  especially  for  thoughtless  young  girls 
who  do  not  seem  to  have  the  slightest  idea  where  it  will  end,  or 
what  it  will  lead  them  to.  1  sometimes  think  that  large  factories 
are  almost  as  bad  as  penitentiaries  for  the  morals  of  young  people; 
they  too  often  become  schools  of  vice,  not  because  labor  or  the 
articles  manufactured  tend  to  make  them  so,  but  because  of  the 
lack  of  moral  restraint,  the  temptations  to  which  they  arc  exposed, 
and  the  low  wages  and  rough,  unprincipled  element  with  which 
they  mingle. 

I  presume  the  worst  class  of  men-flirts  are  to  be  found  among 
drummers,  safe  and  piano  agents,  and  men  of  various  callings  who 
make  their  repeated  rounds  from  town  to  town  and  city  to  city. 
They  manage  to  have  a  female  acquaintance  and  correspondent  in 
nearly  every  town  they  visit.  If  they  do  not,  it  is  not  their  fault, 
for  a  large  number  of  them  are  worthless,  reckless  and  dissipated, 
hardly  fit  to  cross  the  threshold  of  a  respectable  family.  They  flirt 
on  the  street,  in  the  store,  at  the  railroad  depots,  in  the  cars,  in  the 
hotels,  anywhere  and  everywhere  they  can  find  any  woman  silly 
enough  to  notice  them.  They  insult  about  every  other  woman 
they  meet,  either  by  words,  actions  or  lascivious  looks,  especially 
chambermaids,  waiter-girls  and  women  traveling  alone  or  prom- 
enading the  streets.  I  do  not  assert  or  believe  that  all  traveling 
men  or  drummers  are  of  this  stamp.  Many  of  them  are  honorable 
men,  business-like  in  their  manners  and  worthy  the  confidence  of 
the  best  of  people. 

Sometimes  men,  especially  strangers,  are  wrongfully  chargcc 
with  insulting  ladies  on  the  street,  when  the  fact  is,  nobody  but  a 
rough,  drunken  or  partially-insane  man  would  think  of  such  a  thing. 
Some  young  men,  however,  will  step  up  to  a  lady  and  speak  to  her, 
wishing  to  escort  her  home,  if  they  think  she  is  a  flirt;  and  as  there 
ere  so  many  women  and  young  girls  on  the  streets  of  large  cities, 


FLIRTATION.  ^7S 

always  dft  the  lookout  for  beaus,  such  fellows  do  not  always  know 
who  is  who,  until  they  try  them.  As  a  rule,  if  a  young  woman  will 
ACt  modestly  on  the  street,  and  walk  along  without  doing  anything 
to  attract  a  gentleman's  attention,  she  will  not  be  troubled  with  the 
uninvited  attentions  of  the  opposite  sex.  But  if  she  smiles  at  a 
man  and  turns  her  head  to  look  after  him  two  or  three  times,  she 
must  expect  that  most  men  will  respond  to  such  invitations,  espe- 
cially if  a  man  is  anxious  to  find  out  who  she  is,  or  what  she  means. 
No  lady  has  any  right  or  business  to  half  recognize  a  man  on  the 
street;  if  she  is  acquainted  with  him  or  wishes  to  recognize  him, 
she  should  bow,  or  speak,  or  both;  but  if  she  does  not  wish  to  make 
a  full  recognition,  she  should  take  no  notice  at  all,  except  to  glance 
with  the  eye. 

With  regard  to  myself  it  often  happens,  as  in  the  case  of  a  good 
many  public  men,  that  there  are  thousands  of  ladies  in  the  country 
who  know  me,  but  I  do  not  know  them;  and  when  they  pass  me  on 
the  street  and  give  partial  recognition,  smiling  looks,  or  make  com- 
ments to  their  companions,  or  nudge  one  another  as  I  pass,  I  cannot 
tell  in  every  case  who  they  are  or  what  they  mean;  whether  I  have 
met  them  or  not,  or  whether  they  have  simply  heard  me  lecture. 
School-girls  sometimes  will  watch  me  for  a  whole  block,  as  though 
they  had  never  seen  a  man  before.  With  many  of  them  it  is  simply 
girlish  curiosity,  and  I  take  it  as  such  and  pass  on;  others  among 
them  are  evidently  flirts,  and  if  a  man  takes  no  notice  of  them,  they 
feel  politely  repulsed;  and  if  he  does  and  fails  to  meet  their  expec- 
tations, or  act  in  a  way  to  please  them,  they  go  home  or  back  to 
school  and  make  wild  and  exaggerated  statements  about  him.  Not 
that  I  have  had  any  serious  trouble  with  school-girls;  my  relations 
with  them  have  been  of  the  most  pleasant  nature  in  every  school 
where  I  have  lectured  —  from  Wisconsin  in  the  West  to  Massachu- 
setts in  the  East  —  with  one  exception.  There  is  no  place  in  the 
world  where  I  deem  it  necessary  to  be  more  particular  and  careful 
in  action  and  conversation  than  in  colleges,  seminaries  and  high- 
schools.  The  case  to  which  I  have  just  hinted  was  caused  by  my 
meeting,  one  Sunday  morning  as  I  was  going  to  church,  a  refined, 
virtuous,  pleasant-looking  young  lady,  by  herself,  who  had  heard 
me  lecture  a  few  days  previous,  and,  of  course,  remembered  me, 
though  1  had  not  the  slightest  recollection  of  her.  As  she  passed 
she  almost  recognized  me,  and  gave  me  a  pleasant  look,  accompa- 


J76  FLIRTATION. 

nied  with  a  sweet  smile.  I  was  a  stranger  in  the  city,  and  not 
acquainted  with  any  ladies,  was  almost  opposite  the  church  and 
therefore  not  in  a  locality  where  one  would  expect  to  meet  a  fast 
woman,  and  her  face  was  too  innocent  as  I  thought  to  class  her 
among  such  characters.  The  time  of  the  morning,  the  location, 
and  all  the  other  circumstances,  caused  her  face  and  conduct  to  be 
a  puzzle  to  me,  for  the  thought  never  occurred  to  me  that  she  was 
a  school-girl.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation  I  made  up  my  mind 
to  ascertain  whether  she  was  a  young  flirt  or  some  person  I  had 
met.  Turning  suddenly  around  to  step  up  to  her,  I  saw  several 
yards  intervened  between  us,  and  I  could  not  reach  her  without 
running,  as  the  sidewalk  was  pretty  well  filled  with  people.  Then 
I  realized  the  predicament  I  was  in  —  that  unless  I  was  very  careful 
it  would  look  like  a  flirting  performance.  There  was  a  hotel  imme- 
diately opposite,  where  I  was  boarding,  and  men  were  sitting  outside. 
She  had  turned  her  head  around  once  or  twice, to  see  if  I  was  com- 
ing I  suppose,  and  this  made  me  feel  there  was  probably  a  little  or 
considerable  flirt  about  her;  so  I  concluded  I  would  let  her  walk  on 
a  block  or  two,  or  until  she  had  turned  a  corner;  for  if  I  had  turned 
then  and  gone  into  church,  people  would  have  begun  to  think  I  was 
half  crazy.  Meanwhile,  the  girl  evidently  did  not  know  what  to  think 
of  my  actions,  and  misunderstanding  my  reason  and  motives  prob- 
ably thought  I  was  infatuated;  for  when  I  caught  up  with  her  and 
said  ''Good  morning,"  she  seemed  confused  and  annoyed,  although 
she  acted  lady-like,  made  no  objections  to  my  presence,  but  res- 
ponded to  my  salutation  and  called  me  by  name.  I  asked  her  how 
Bhe  knew  my  name,  and  thereupon  discovered  she  was  a  school-girl. 
As  it  was  only  a  block  or  two  to  the  school,  I  concluded  it  would 
look  much  better  to  escort  her  to  the  seminary  than  leave  her  on 
the  corner  of  the  street,  which  I  accordingly  did. 

I  had  met  some  of  the  other  school-girls  a  day  or  two  before, 
and  they  politely  bowed  to  me,  and  I  remembered  them,  returned 
the  bow  and  passed  on.  Others  of  their  number  had  also  passed, 
but  took  no  notice  of  me  except  to  look  with  an  earnest,  steady 
gaze.  I  also  passed  them,  taking  no  notice  except  giving  them  a 
glance,  without  either  smiling,  staring  or  bowing.  I  heard  nothing 
nor  saw  nothing  more  of  them  till  about  a  week  afterwards.  The 
lady  principal  of  the  school  stopped  me  on  the  corner  of  the  street 
and  commenced  to  politely  abuse  me,  wanting  to  know  what  I  was 


FLIRTATION.  1 71 

chasing  her  girls  around  the  streets  for;  that  my  horrid  eyes  were 
staring  at  them  wherever  they  went,  and  that  the  teachers  and  all 
the  girls  in  the  school  who  at  first  were  very  much  pleased  and  fav- 
orably impressed,  now  hated  me,  with  much  more  similar  talk.  I 
saw  she  was  in  no  frame  of  mind  to  receive  an  explanation,  nor  did 
I  care  to  make  one  on  the  street  corners.  She  could  trust  her  girls 
on  the  streets,  however,  and  believe  anything  they  chose  to  tell 
her,  but  told  me  personally,  the  very  day  I  lectured  in  her  school, 
that  although  the  mothers  of  her  girls  had  told  her  she  could  trust 
them  with  gentlemen  visitors  in  the  parlor,  she  never  allowed  them 
to  close  the  parlor  doors.  "Yes,"  said  she,  "I  can  trust  them  only 
by  watching  them."  She  could  not  allow  them  to  be  in  her  own 
parlor  alone,  nor  believe  their  mothers,  but,  strange  to  say,  she 
could  believe  anything  they  said  about  a  stranger,  and  trust  them 
alone  on  the  street.  Then,  again,  she  had  most  likely  taught  the 
girls  everything  but  how  to  act  on  the  street,  and  when  and  how 
to  recognize  gentlemen. 

I  have  no  desire  to  speak  harshly  or  unkindly  of  school-girls; 
they  are  mostly  young  and  inexperienced  and  as  full  of  mischief 
and  fun  as  a  lot  of  young  kittens.  But  I  want  to  say  that  the  ten- 
dency among  school-girls  to  flirt  when  they  get  a  chance,  and  to 
see  if  a  stranger  will  take  any  notice  of  them,  is  pretty  strong.  I 
lemember  while  at  a  depot  one  morning  waiting  for  the  train,  four 
or  five  school  girls  passed  along  the  platform  on  their  way  to  the 
school  where  I  had  lectured  the  previous  day.  They  laughingly 
made  some  rem.arks  as  they  passed  me,  and  when  they  got  to  the 
end  of  the  platform  spoke  to  me  again  and  put  their  fingers  to  their 
lips  and  threw  kisses  at  me.  I  neither  did  nor  said  the  least  thing 
to  attract  those  girls*  attention,  nor  was  it  necessary  for  them  to  go 
through  the  depot  to  get  to  the  school;  hence  I  might  have  gone 
with  the  same  propriety,  if  I  had  chosen  to  take  that  view  of  it,  to 
the  principal  of  the  school  and  asked  him  what  right  his  young 
ladies  had  to  speak  to  me,  what  they  were  following  me  around 
town  and  trying  to  kiss  me  for,  or  tempting  me  to  kiss  them .?  If 
those  young  ladies  had  passed  by  quietly  with  sedate  countenances, 
and  I  had  made  some  remark  to  them  in  fun  or  jest,  and  then 
thrown  kisses  at  them,  it  would  have  been  circulated  all  through 
the  school  and  city  in  magnified  form,  and  made  to  appear  that  I 
had  insulted  the  girls  and  actually  kissed  them,  or  tried  to  do  so. 


178  FLIRTATION. 

On  another  occasion,  when  I  had  called  on  the  president  of  a  Normal 
School  about  business,  in  returning  from  his  office  1  had  to  pass  the 
boarding-house  of  the  young  ladies  who  were  preparing  themselves 
to  be  teachers.  A  group  of  them  were  out  on  the  roof  of  the  ve- 
randa, and  as  I  neared  the  house  they  began  their  antics  to  attract 
my  attention,  and  as  I  passed  they  would  walk  to  the  edge  of  the 
roof,  peep  over,  then  go  back  again;  in  fact,  seemed  to  do  every- 
thing they  could,  without  really  speaking,  to  get  me  to  say  some- 
thing to  them. 

The  disposition  to  flirt  is  very  often,  in  fact,  I  may  say,  gener- 
ally, born  in  people;  and  the  symptoms  of  it  can  be  seen  in  children 
three  years  old.  To  illustrate:  in  a  place  where  I  was  once  board- 
ing, was  a  little  girl  about  three  years  of  age,  and  a  gentleman  in 
the  house  would  occasionally  take  her  on  his  knee,  talk  to  her  and 
kiss  her.  The  first  time  he  kissed  her  she  submitted  quietly  and 
said  nothing.  The  second  time  she  began  to  act  a  little  funny,  and 
the  third  time  she  was  still  more  funny  over  it,  commenced  to  gig- 
gle and  hold  her  head  down  and  pretend  she  didn't  like  it.  (And 
from  all  I  can  learn,  there  are  quite  a  number  of  large  girls  who 
will  act  that  way,  too.)  Then  her  secretiveness,  mirthfulness  and 
amativeness  came  into  action.  She  really  wanted  to  be  kissed,  but 
girl-like,  she  must  make  a  fuss  over  it,  and  so  she  said  to  the  gen- 
tleman as  soon  as  he  had  kissed  her:  "Shame  on  you!  teaching 
little  girls  to  hug  and  kiss!  I'll  tell  my  big  sister  on  you  !"  Now 
what  put  such  ideas  and  language  into  that  child's  head,  unless  she 
had  seen  or  heard  more  than  she  ought  to  have  heard  from  that  big 
sister  of  hers,  and  had  also  inherited  a  flirting  disposition.^  Show 
me  a  little  girl  or  boy  that  acts  and  talks  that  way,  at  that  age,  and 
I  will  show  you  a  child  who  has  a  flirting  nature;  though  such 
aatures  may  be  changed,  as  they  grow  up,  by  proper  education. 

It  may  be  somewhat  interesting  to  the  reader  if  I  give  a  sample 
>f  the  average  letters  written  by  one  girl  to  another,  and  though  I 
•:annot  say  positively  that  the  author  of  the  following  epistle  was  a 
lirt,  I  judge  by  the  style  of  her  language  she  was  not  far  from  it. 
She  was  evidently  well  posted  on  the  ways  of  other  flirts  and  was 
.nuch  interested  in  their  maneuvers.  It  also  illustrates  how  freely 
yjtis  tell  one  another  what  men  say  and  do  to  them,  and  how  much 
I'egard  some  of  them  have  for  parental  authority.  When  a  girl 
makes  up  her  mind  to  have  her  own  way,  and  go  when  and  where 


FLIftTAtlOJr.  ifo 

she  pleases,  you  may  be  pretty  sure  she  has  got  the  flirtation  com- 
plaint or  is  desperately  in  love  with  somebody  her  parents  do  not 
like.  If  the  reader  is  curious  to  know  where  I  got  this  letter,  let 
me  say  I  picked  it  up  in  the  Chicago  Exposition,  and  though  the 
cover  had  been  torn  and  the  letter  somewhat  mutilated,  I  managed 
to  make  out  the  most  of  it,  and  as  I  shall  omit  all  names,  it  will  do 
nobody  harm,  nor  will  any  person  be  the  wiser  as  to  who  wrote 
it  or  where  it  came  from. 

•• Sept.  1879. 

**  Dear :  Your  letter  was  received  a  few  days  ago.  Am  glad  you  are  enjoy- 
ing yourself  so  well.  Wish  I  could  have  a  little  fun  up  here,  but  what  is  the  use  of  wishing. 
We  had  something  going  on  yesterday — it  was  a  smash  up,  about  six  miles  below  here. 
Two  freight  trains  ran  together.  [What  a  consolation  that  there  was  something  to  pro?- 
duce  a  little  excitement.  Girls  seem  to  think  everything  is  fun,  unless  their  fellows  happen 
to  get  killed.]  I  wanted  to  go  down  on  the  train  in  the  afternoon  and  see  the  wreck,  but 
father  would  not  let  me.     Next  time  I  will  know  enough  to  go  without  asking,  you  bet 

Tell  your  mamma  we  have  not  any  preserves.    I  do  not  correspond  with  Mr.  ,  he  ia  a 

flirt,  I  can  tell  you.      [She  wanted  him  all  to  herself;  girls  like  to  have  two  or  three  beau$, 

but  they  do  not  want  them  to  have  but  one  girl.]     It  is  real  mean  of not  to  introduce 

you.  He  tried  to  kiss  me  one  night  at  the  gate,  but  he  did  not  come  it — I  slapped  him 
right  square  in  the  mouth.  [And  yet  she  was  anxious  that  this  •*  gate-kisser"  should  be 
introduced  to  the  friend  she  was  writing  to.  She  must  have  thought  that  anything  would 
do  for  her  friend,  or  else  that  he  was  a  nice  young  man,  even  if  he  did  flirt.  It  is  so  char- 
itable to  give  to  others  what  we  do  not  want  ourselves.]  What  kind  of  a  hat  did  you  say 
you  had?  I  did  not  understand  you.  Do  they  wear  a  kind  of  sailor  hats  in  Chicago? 
[Yes,  flirts  or  girls  with  masculine  tendencies  do.]  I  have  a  black  one  that  turns  up  all 
around.  Tell  me  all  about  what  you  have  this  fall.  There  was  a  nic-e  runner  in  town  the 
other  day,  and  I  saw  him  a  number  of  times  on  the  street,  but  ke  did  not  do  anything  but 
look,  [What  a  piiy'.]  In  the  afternoon,  as  I  was  coming  home,  he  followed  me  as  far  as 
the  feed  store,  and  watched  me  until  I  got  home.  [She  must  have  given  him  some  anxious 
looks  or  he  would  not  have  followed  her,  because  he  was  a  nice  runner,  and  he  would  not 
have  done  such  a  thing  otherwise.]  In  the  evening,  he  came  over  this  way,  and  I  hap- 
pened to  be  at  the  gate.  [Not  intentionally,  of  course;  what  a  wonderful  gate  that  was; 
in  fact,  many  important  events  of  a  girl's  life  seem  to  happen  there.     Gates  are  convenient 

things  for  flirts,  more  so  than  the  parlor.]     I  went  to  the  bridge  with ,   [her  young 

brother,  I  suppose.  Brothers  and  bridges  are  necessary  evils  sometimes  in  flirting  with 
nice  runners,]   and  when  I  was  coming  back  I  met  him;   [all  accidental,  of  course,]   he 

said,  'Is  this  Miss ?'     [Nice  runners  and  bummers  generally  manage  to  find  out  a 

young  lady's  name  before  they  speak,  it  is  much  more  pleasant  to  address  even  strangers 
by  their  name. ]  I  said,  •!  do  not  think  it  is.'  [She  told  a  white  lie.]  I  also  said,  'Do 
you  want  to  see  her? '  and  he  said,  'O,  no,  it  was  nothing  in  particular;'  so  I  slipped  home 
as  fast  as  I  could  [after  she  had  just  slipped  out  to  see  if  he  would  notice  her,  and  have  a 

square  look  at  him].     He  went  over  town  [broken-hearted,  no  doubt].     I  have  seen » 

once  since  you  were  here,  but  did  not  have  anything  to  do  with  him.  He  is  a  horrid  old 
thing.  [I  suppose  the  trouble  with  him  was  that  he  never  tried  to  kiss  her;  girls— I  mean 
ftdventurous  flirts^Uke  g  man  to  try  it  occasionally,  eyen  if  they  do  not  come  it,  just  to  shov 
iMif  wiUingsessi    Ills 90  pU»ss8g  to s giii  to  koow that  i sua  wftiita  to Itisa  )s«r|  evt« 


if  she  does  noi  allow  it.]     has  been  awful  sick,  not  expected  to  live.     She  was  tL^iraf 

Bome  place,  and  they  sent  for  her  mother.     I  cannot  imagine  what  the  trouble  was,  can 

you  ?    I  expect  to  see [another  man,  and  more  to  follow,]  next  month,  I  am  going  to 

try  and  have  a  conversation  with  him,  too.      [Poor  girl !  her  male  acquaintances  seem  to 

be  deserters.]     What  shall  I  tell  him  for  you?     I  have  not  seen since  I  wrote  you 

about  my  stopping  and  talking  to  him.     is  as  cool  as  a  cucumber,  and  I  expect  she 

will  continue  to  be  [unless  she  gives  back  the  young  man  she  probably  robbed  her  of].    I 

have  not  had  a  chance  to  tell what  you  wanted  me  to.     [Too  bad  I]  Write  soon. 

♦'From  your  friend,  ** " 

F/irt— 

O,  for  a  runner,  fresh  and  nice, 

To  meet  me  when  I  take  a  walk, 
And  when  I  pass  him  twice  or  thrice 

Will  step  right  up  and  try  to  talk. 

Runngr — 

O,  for  a  girl  that's  soft  and  nice, 

Who,  standing  at  the  garden  gate, 
With  powder' d  face,  as  white  as  rice, 

In  flirting  smiles  will  meet  my  gaze. 

How  friendly  and  confiding  two  girls  can  be,  especially  flirts, 
when  it  is  to  each  other's  interest  to  be  so,  but  let  a  young  man 
come  along  that  both  want,  and  you  will  see  two  as  cool  as  cucum- 
bers, and  they  will  backbite  and  tell  all  the  nasty  little  things  they 
can  think  of  about  each  other.  Judging  from  the  writing  and  the 
letter,  as  a  whole,  it  appears  to  me  that  the  young  lady  who  wrote 
the  above,  has  had  a  fair  education,  probably  at  the  high  school, 
but  it  is  a  great  pity  she  did  not  learn  to  write  more  sense  and  less 
nonsense. 

The  reader  may  also  be  interested  in  reading  and  learning  what 
an  interesting  diary  a  flirt  can  write.  And  as  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  get  a  copy  of  one  written  by  a  gushing  young  flirt,  just 
bordering  on  sweet  sixteen,  I  insert  it  here  as  a  sample  of  the  weak- 
minded  sentimentalism,  romantic  day-dreaming,  unrestrained  love 
and  nonsense  that  pervades  the  heart  and  mind  of  an  ardent  flirt: 

I  have  seen  the  hero  of  my  dreams. 

April  6/"^.— Met  a  gentleman,  and  he  is  coming  here  to  board;  wont  we  have  some 
nice  times,  though?  I  don't  know  his  name  yet,  but  he  is  a  perfect  blonde.  I  wonder 
what  made  him  look  so  hard  at  me;  I  guess  because  I  had  Willie  in  my  arms. 

April  6th. — Nothing  of  any  note  has  transpired;  been  house-cleaning;  have  not  seen 
by  ideal  since. 

April  7M.— Him  and  his  friend  have  made  arrangements  to  board.  I  am  to  gU4 
Oiat  I  can  think  of  nothing  but  him;  those  laughing  blue  eyes  haunt  me  yet. 


FLTRTATTOIT,  i8l 

April  %th — He  coiftes  to-night;  1  wonder  if  he  will  ever  care  for  me  as  much  u  I  do 
even  now  for  him?  I  am  afraid  not.  How  I  wish  that  I  was  beautiful  or  wealthy;  T  never 
wbhed  for  money  before  in  my  life,  but  if  I  only  had  it  now  may  be  I  could  win  him;  but 
no,  how  I  have  wronged  him;  he  is  too  noble  to  ever  marry  for  money.  I  used  to  think 
that  there  was  not  a  man  on  earth  whom  I  could  ever  love,  but  I  have  found  out  very 
different;  for  here  is  a  strange  man,  I  don't  even  know  his  name,  and  I  am  in  love 
with  him;  will  he  ever  encourage  it? 

April  ()th. — O,  I  am  so  very  happy;  he  was  home  to  dinner  to-day,  for  the  first  time, 
and  staid  till  three  o'clock.     I  wonder  what  he  thinks  of  me?     I  have  always  said  that  1 
would  never  trust  a  man,  but  I  would  trust  him  with  everything  on  earth.     Will  he  ever 
I    like  me  as  I  do  him? 

\\  Nothing  has  transpired  of  note;  like  my  new  friend  more  and  more.     Am  going  to 

i  see  the  parade.  Have  just  known  him  a  little  more  than  a  week.  I  put  on  his  hat  before 
I  dinner;  he  says  there  must  be  a  forfeit  paid,  shall  I  let  him?  Yes,  why  not?  I  will  trust 
I  him,  for  he  is  too  honorable  to  ever  tell  his  wife  anything  about  it;  I  say  this  for  I  have 
I    not  the  slightest  hope  of  ever  being  able  to  win  him.     O  for  beauty  enough  to  captivate 

I    him,  and  I  would  be  happy.     What  is  the  day  of  the  month?     Mr.  ,  poor  man,  is  to 

I  be  buried;  how  very  sad!  I  can't  help  comparing  his  wife  and  myself,  only  a  block  apart; 
I  so  happy,  her  so  miserable.  Well,  if  I  am  going  out,  I  will  have  to  stop  and  dress 
myself. 

We  got  back  all  right;  sat  in  the  park  ever  so  long  waiting  for  the  procession  to 
come.  We  had  some  nice  lemon  pie  when  we  got  back;  we  enjoyed  it  so  much;  wonder 
if  he  thinks  it  was  made  expressly  for  him?  We  went  in  the  back  parlor,  on  the  sofa, 
and  h —  k —  m —  s —  t — ;  O  h —  s —  w —  h —  k —  t —  m — .  Does  he  think  any  the  less  of 
me  for  it?  although  he  is  the  first  man  I  ever  kissed.  He  must  care  for  me,  or  he  would 
never  have  done  as  he  did.  [There  is  just  where  girls  make  a  mistake;  when  they  are  in 
love  with  a  man  they  seem  to  think  he  must  be  with  them,  which  is  not  always  the  case. 
The  average  man  will  play  with  a  girl's  heart  as  though  it  was  a  foot-ball,  unless  he  too 
^  is  in  love,  then  he  will  act  noble  and  true.  And  the  average  man  will  give  and  take  all 
the  kisses  he  can  get  without  meaning  it  as  any  special  demonstration  of  affection  to  the 
one  he  kisses.]  Would  he  deceive  me?  No,  he  is  too  honorable.  [When  a  girl  is  in 
love  with  a  man,  especially  a  silly  flirt,  she  always  thinks  he  is  true  and  honorable,  even 
if  he  should  be  the  biggest  flirt  and  rascal  in  the  country.] 

A  week  has  passed,  and  I  have  not  touched  this;  I  find  no  time  to  write;  the  house 
is  in  such  an  uproar;  I  never  want  to  move  again.  When  he  came  to  dinner  yesterday,  I 
was  cleaning  silver,  and  did  not  get  to  speak  to  him;  but  if  I  get  to  look  at  him  it  satis- 
fies. I  laugh  at  myself  sometimes;  me,  that  used  to  be  such  an  awful  flirt,  caught  at  last. 
[Not  with  the  right  kind  of  a  hook,  though.]  He  stays  at  home  so  much  I  wonder  if  he 
likes  my  society  or  if  he  wants  to  flirt?  But  no,  he  wouldn't  flirt  with  anyone  as  young 
as  I;  he  is  too  noble  and  true-hearted.  It  is  so  pleasant  to  love  one,  and  put  perfect  trust 
in  them. 

I  have  not  picked  this  up  for  a  month  or  more,  and  I  am  much  changed,  but  how? 
If  I  loved  him  first  I  worship  him  now.  But  he  says  he  is  going  away;  how  very  mis- 
erable I  will  be  till  he  gets  back;  how  I  wish  he  wouldn't  go.  He  wants  my  picture  to 
take  with  him  (O  for  beauty,  so  that  he  would  be  proud  of  it).  My  wishes  are  vain;  be 
content,  he  is  not  engaged;  he  has  pledged  his  word,  and  that  is  enough  for  me  to  be 
sure  that  he  is  not.  But  whenever  I  think  of  his  going  away  my  heart  gets  so  heavy 
that  it  nearly  kills  me.  What  would  I  do  if  he  was  to  come  back  engaged?  But  I  mast 
•top  tlunkinf  tbst  way,  for  he  has  not  been  home  so  long  be  most  want  to  see  mother  kbA 


t^2  I^IRfATlOir. 

•Uten,  fo  I  should  be  glad  that  he  can  go;  but  reason  as  t  will,  I  cartU  be  gftad,  t  aid 
so  selfish;  I  never  was  so  before,  because  I  never  loved  before.  O!  I  am  so  happy;  he 
has  said  that  he  is  afraid  he  cannot  go;  if  he  could  wait  till  next  summer  how  nice 
it  would  be. 

I  have  been  so  busy  that  a  week  has  gone  by  without  my  making  any  note  of  it,  and 
last  night  he  told  me  he  was  going  home — he  mus/  go.  Well,  I  will  trust  hiin,  but  it  will 
be  hard  to  do  without  him;  he  is  our  ray  of  sunshine.  The  house  will  be  very  dull  with 
out  him,  but  we  will  have  to  stand  it  for  one  month;  how  fearfully  long. 

To  day  he  goes;  he  will  not  go  to  work  to  day,  he  has  promised  to  be  home  at  three 
o'clock.  He  has  gone;  my  head  aches  and  I  am  nearly  sick  from  it;  he  told  me  to  be  of 
good  cheer,  he  would  write  soon. 

He  has  been  gone  a  week  and  not  a  line;  what  is  the  matter  with  him,  has  he  for 
gotten  me  so  soon  as  this?  I  cannot  bear  to  think  that,  but  how  do  I  know  he  will  not 
forget  me?  Ol  darling  one,  if  you  but  knew  what  I  think  of  you  there  would  be  no 
more  need  of  words  for  either.  [No,  they  would  just  unite  and  melt  and  simmer  down 
into  one  condensed  sugar-plum.]  I  am  so  miserable;  how  soon  happiness  can  be  turned 
to  misery.  Only  one  week  ago  to-day  I  was  the  happiest  creature  alive;  excepting  for 
the  pang  of  parting  I  could  not  have  been  happier.  Am  not  going  to  pick  this  up 
while  he  is  gone,  for  my  thoughts  are  too  miserable  for  me  to  write.  Suppose  he  should 
come  home  engaged  and  should  not  tell  me,  and  1  should  keep  on  loving  him,  and  should 
even  let  him  see  this;  no,  that  would  never  do. 

August  3^.  —  Have  been  true  to  my  word;  have  not  looked  in  this  for  three  weeks  He 
got  home  to  night;  we  were  rehearsing  our  opera,  [flirts  generally  have  a  natural  love  for 
operas  and  theaters,  but  never  for  a  prayer-meeting]  but  that  made  no  difference;  I  rushed 
in  the  hall  before  I  knew  it,  and  had  to  go  up  stairs  to  see  him;  he  kissed  me  at  his  door; 
how  happy!  but  there  seems  to  be  some  restraint  on  him;  what  can  it  be?  May  be  he  will 
say  to-morrow  what  it  is.     I  so  dread  it. 

He  has  been  home  two  weeks  to-night,  and  what  a  difference.  I  wish  I  was  dead^  for 
I  am  too  miserable  to  live.  We  went  out  walking  last  night,  and  he  told  me  that  he  was 
engaged.  Am  I  dreaming,  or  is  it  stern  reality?.  My  first  love-dream  to  end  so  miser- 
ably 1  Does  he  love  the  girl  he  is  engaged  to?  No;  I  have  heard  that  he  loves  her 
because  she  has  money,  but  my  idol  could  not  stoop  to  such  a  thing,  he  whom  I  think 
is  the  noblest  man  on  earth.  Mamma  and  auntie  try  to  make  me  think  he  is  not  worth 
one  of  my  tears  [the  old  folks  were  probably  about  right,  for  if  he  had  been  such  a  noble 
man  as  her  love — imagination — pictured  him,  she  never  would  have  fallen  in  love  with 
him.  Like  loves  like]  but  I  cannot.  I  have  been  sick  all  day;  it  will  be  weeks  before  I 
fully  recover.  O!  my  darling,  my  idol!  to  find  you  only  clay,  is  killing  me  day  by  day. 
[She  survived,  however,  for  I  saw  her.  She  was  a  sort  of  strawberry-blonde;  in  other 
words,  slightly  on  the  sandy  hair  color,  with  florid  face.  A  genuine  blonde  is  of  too 
cold  a  nature  to  be  so  yearning  and  impulsive  in  love  affairs.  ] 

I  cannot  bear  to  see  this  now  where  all  my  joys  have  been  written.  He  offers  me  now 
A  brother's  love,  and  I  have  to  give  him  a  sister's  love;  but  such  is  life.  I  cannot  under- 
itand  myself;  me  who  was  always  so  proud,  cold,  and  indifferent  to  gentlemen  who  loved 
me,  can  I  not  summon  up  pride  enough  to  make  him  think  I  love  another;  but  no,  I  can- 
not, that  would  be  acting  deceitful,  and  I  hate  deceit  above  all  things  on  earth.  [There 
U  where  she  is  mistaken  again,  and  does  not  know  her  own  heart;  for  a  flirt  is  a  bundle 
pf  deceit;  no  girl  cm  be  a  good  flirt  without  being  deceitful.]  I  am  not  ashamed  that  1 
leve  HifR)  I  «tn  rather  proud  of  it.  I  would  rather  have  bit  friendship  than  the  love  of 
Cfciir  oUiei  ASM  §a  €4rtik    It  m»^  mf  htm  tchc  te  tit  Un  wriUngi  I  oncf  thoHf hi 


FLIRTATION.  I83 

I  would  never  write  inything  in  here  but  my  joys,  but  if  I  did  that  the  rest  of  the  book 
would  be  blank,  for  I  never  expect  to  have  another  joy  on  earth.  I  had  laid  off  grand 
times  for  my  sixteenth  birthday,  but  my  hopes  are  dashed  to  the  ground.  Such  is  life. 
Will  I  ever  open  this  again?  may  be  not,  and  yet  I  may;  but  it  is  so  hawi  to  write  about 
one  you  love  that  belongs  to  another.     If  I  never  open  it,  why  I  will  say  Good  by. 

October. — Two  months  have  passed,  and  not  a  line  in  this;  I  love  him  more  than  ever. 
O,  how  1  wish  that  I  could  break  off  that  love,  it  is  killing  me— this  trying  to  keep  a 
cheerful  face  when  one  feels  so  fearfully  miserable;  but  no  one  5us]tects  but  what  I  am  as 
happy  as  ever.  How  can  I  look  so  well  when,  every  night  of  my  life,  I  cry  one  half  of 
the  night?  I  must  stop  this,  it  kills  me  to  write.  [That  is  generally  the  way  with  sweet 
sixteen  flirts,  they  laugh  one  half  the  time  and  cry  the  other  half.] 

(^  darling,  may  you  and  your  chosen  one  ever  be  as  happy  as  1  am  miserable.  Him 
and  his  friend  niu.^t  part,  and  I  am  afraid  he  will  get  married.  Well,  it  has  got  to  come; 
it  might  as  well  be  now  as  later.  It  is  tc-rrible  to  think  of  his  engagement,  but  it  nearly 
kilk  me  to  think  of  his  marriage.  My  only  lovel  may  God  be  very  merciful  to  you  and 
yours,   is  always  my   prayer. 

To-day  I  have  been  looking  over  this,  and  it  looks  so  foolish  for  me  to  write  such  things, 
but  no  one  knows.    [When  ignorance  is  bliss  'tis  folly  to  be  wise;  at  least  so  says  the  world.] 

Flirts  will  not  only  lie  and  deceive,  but  they  will  sometimes  go 
so  far  as  to  steal  when  placed  in  positions  of  trust.  Not  all  of  them 
will  do  this,  but  a  certain  class  will.  They  all  steal  hearts,  and  a 
part  of  them  will  take  anything  they  can  lay  hands  on.  Sharp 
tricks  and  dishonorable  conduct  seems  like  second  nature  to  them. 
Like  the  young  ladies  of  a  certain  seminary,  who  were  out  walking 
one  afternoon,  as  was  their  custom,  with  one  of  the  teachers  or 
professors  leading  the  beautiful  procession.  As  they  passed  by  a 
grocery  store  they  saw  a  basket  of  apples  on  the  sidewalk,  to  which 
they  all  helped  themselves,  leaving  an  empty  basket,  without  any 
money  to  pay  for  them.  I  would  not  say  that  every  one  of  those 
girls  were  flirts,  but  I  do  say  that  every  one  that  took  an  apple  did 
a  small,  dishonest  trick.  It  was  just  such  an  act  and  just  such  mis- 
chief as  you  may  look  for  among  flirts.  There  are  also  cases  where 
flirts  (I  mean  men  as  well  as  women)  will  help  themselves  to  their 
employer's  money  or  goods. 

Another  evil  arising  from  flirtation  is  that  it  develops  a  charac- 
ter that  is  peculiarly  fickle  and  inconsistent.  It  makes  one  too 
changeable,  unreliable  and  notional.  In  fact,  it  entirely  counteracts 
every  influence  wkich  tends  to  mold  a  perfect  and  lovable  charac- 
ter. The  soul  cannot  revel  in  unnatural  and  unsatisfied  desires, 
which  it  is  nevertheless  longing  to  have  gratified,  without  recoiling 
and  shrinking  back  upon  itself.  Flirts  are  constantly  craving  for 
pleasures  of  an  amative  niit>ar?;  they  are  sqidofB  \^  ever  satisfied. 


1 84  FLIRTATION. 

Hence,  there  is  a  hankering,  an  abnormal  condition  of  mind,  a  per- 
verted taste  and  a  gnawing  appetite,  similar  to  that  of  a  dyspeptic's 
stomach.  The  more  they  have  the  more  they  want,  and  the  more 
they  get  the  less  are  they  satisfied.  Things  of  genuine  merit, 
objects  of  great  importance,  do  not  interest  them,  for  their  fettered 
imagination  cannot  soar  so  high.  Their  attention  is  attracted  only 
by  that  which  is  sentimental,  vain,  silly  and  disgusting  to  anyone 
possessing  a  fair  amount  of  common  sense  and  sound  judgment. 

Flirts  dislike  work,  especially  if  it  requires  continued  application. 
Said  one  girl  in  a  letter  to  another:  "P.S. — I  have  finished  all  but 
two  of  papa's  shirts,  then  I  shall  look  out  for  a  man  that  does  not 
wear  shirts,"  and  exclaims,  "a  kingdom,  a  kingdom  for  a  man  with- 
out a  shirt."  But,  then,  it  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  a  girl  of  that 
stamp  could  do  anything  else  but  flirt.  One  business  is  enough  for 
a  smart  man  to  attend  to,  and  how  can  it  be  expected  that  a  brain- 
less flirt  would  attend  to  work  or  business  and  flirting  too.. 

Nowhere  are  the  short-comings  and  fickle-mindedness  of  flirts 
more  apparent  than  in  business  affairs.  Employers  can  place  no 
reliance  on  them.  They  are  a  worthless  class  even  in  the  ordinary 
position  of  attending  a  reception  room  or  as  saleslady.  Perhaps 
the  place  such  women  could  fill  to  the  best  advantage  would  be 
behind  a  cigar-stand,  because  there  they  could  flirt  to  their  heart's 
content  and  have  all  the  variety  they  could  desire.  They  would 
have  new  subjects  to  operate  upon  every  few  minutes.  But  sup- 
pose such  persons  do,  by  tact,  secure  good  and  respectable  places 
(for  they  are  sharp  enough,  or,  at  least,  manage  to  use  their  wits 
long  enough  to  do  that  sometimes),  their  employer  would  find  it 
exceedingly  difficult,  yea,  impossible,  in  eight  cases  out  of  ten,  to 
get  them  to  apply  their  minds  and  energies  to  the  interest  of  the 
business,  or  to  use  the  same  amount  of  shrewdness  for  the  benefit 
of  their  employer,  that  they  would  to  secure  a  new  victim,  unless 
the  person  employing  them  gets  up  a  flirtation  with  them  himself; 
then  they  would  set  the  world  on  fire  to  accomplish  a  purpose,  and 
things  would  go  as  merrily  as  the  chimes  of  a  marriage  bell.  But 
let  him  act  toward  them  and  treat  them  in  a  strictly  business  way, 
and  their  indifference  and  want  of  interest  are  at  once  apparent. 
They  cannot  or  will  not  endure  the  correction  of  a  fault,  or  in  any 
way  be  rebuked;  nor  will  some  of  them  even  permit,  with  a  good 
grace,  their  employers  to  tell  them  bow  to  do  their  work,  that  is,  if 


FLIRTATION.  185 

he  does  it  in  at  firm,  decided  tone.  They  may  condescend  to  toler- 
ate it  if  he  does  it  in  a  sweet,  gentle  and  half-coaxing  way,  as  if  he 
was  asking  them  to  do  a  favor;  but  to  be  commanded  with  author- 
ity, seems  abhorrent  to  their  nature.  Poor  things !  they  want 
nothing  but  smiles,  kind,  or  rather  soft,  honeyed  words  and  winning 
looks;  and  they  are  filled  with  surprise  and  indignation  to  think 
that  their  employers  can  have  the  audacity  to  speak  to  them  or  use 
them  in  any  other  way  than  as  equals  or  superiors.  Such  persons 
have  no  definite  idea  of  what  life  is,  or  ought  to  be,  and  when  stern 
reahties  meet  them  they  are  unprepared  to  grapple  with  them. 
They  are,  in  many  respects,  just  like  babies  in  their  disposition,  and 
desire  to  be  petted  and  used  in  a  similar  way;  but  are  unlike  babies 
as  far  as  submission  and  innocence  are  concerned.  They  are  over- 
grown and  spoiled  children,  and  they  can  cry  and  make  just  as 
much  fuss  when  they  cannot  have  their  own  way,  or  have  what  they 
want,  as  any  child  can. 

Young  men  are  just  as  bad,  only  in  a  different  way.  They  be- 
come (if  they  are  not  naturally  so)  regular  sap-heads,  and  the  thing 
they  are  smartest  at,  and  seem  to  succeed  in  most,  is  making  the 
acquaintance  of  young  girls.  I  have  seen  full  grown,  mature  men 
talking  in  a  very  loving  manner,  and  getting  up  a  flirtation  with 
girls  from  twelve  to  fourteen  years  of  age.  I  know  of  an  old  man, 
sixty  or  seventy  years  of  age,  who  visits  the  Chicago  Exposition 
every  fall  to  talk  and  flirt  with  young  ladies  at  the  stands,  and  he 
is  as  persistent  in  his  efforts  as  any  young  man.  Such  actions  are 
beneath  the  dignity  of  a  man !  They  buy  presents  and  bestow 
many  little  favors  and  tokens  of  regard  upon  girls;  will  talk  by  the 
hour  to  them;  will  tax  their  ingenuity,  if  they  have  any,  and  exer- 
cise their  deficient,  inferior  brains  to  the  utmost,  in  order  to  interest 
and  make  a  favorable  impression  upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of 
girls  who  are  silly  enough  to  talk  back  with  them.  Is  it  not  high 
time  that  parents  trained  up  their  children  to  entertain  a  higher 
and  better  appreciation  of  themselves.?  To  have  them  use  their 
intellectual  faculties  and  think  more,  that  they  may  see  what  the 
grand  object  of  life  is,  and  realize  that  it  consists  in  something  more 
than  the  indulgence  of  amative  thoughts  and  the  gratification  of 
amative  desires.?  Intelligent,  thinking  minds  do  not  resort  to 
flirtation.  They  have  other  and  better  means  of  entertaining  and 
interesting  themselves.     It  is  chiefly  common,  inferior,  uneducated 


1 86  FLIRTATION. 

minds  that  resort  to  such  actions,  because,  being  unable  to  amnse 
or  content  themseJves,  they  depend  upon  others  to  do  it  for  them 
Hence,  the  natural  taste  of  such  persons  for  all  kinds  of  amusement, 
but  for  nothing  of  a  serious  or  intellectual  nature.  Not  that  proper 
amusement  is  wrong,  but  that  flirts  have  little  mind  for  anything 
else.  The  conversation  of  flirts  never  rises  above  the  common 
chit-chat  of  household  affairs  or  incidents  of  every-day  life;  and  if 
you  were  to  listen  to  the  conversation  of  two  flirts  for  an  hour,  I 
venture  to  assert,  you  would  not  hear  an  idea  advanced  or  suggested 
of  any  practical  importance.  It  would  be  simply  nonsense  from  be- 
ginning to  end.  To  counteract  flirtation,  then,  with  all  its  attendant 
evils,  let  the  intellect  be  educated  in  a  practical,  common-sense 
manner,  and  let  parents  strive  to  imbue  their  sons  and  daughters 
with  a  spirit  of  noble  ambition  to  accomplish  some  purpose  or 
object  in  life.  Then  they  will  aim  for  something  higher  than  child- 
ish talk  and  mere  amative  pleasures.  Nor  will  common  school 
education  do  this;  it  requires  personal  labor  and  direct  special 
training  on  this  point.  Just  so  long  as  parents  leave  this  special, 
practical  and  parental  work  to  public  schools  and  Sunday-school 
teachers,  they  must  expect  a  large  proportion  of  the  young  people 
to  engage  in  flirtation.  Neither  the  Sunday-school  nor  a  public 
school  was  organized  to  teach  young  people  what  is  the  special 
work  of  parents,  viz.:  how  to  develop  themselves  into  perfect  or 
complete  men  and  women.  Schools  simply  impart  secular  and 
religious  education,  but  the  manner  or  way  in  which  they  make 
use  of  knowledge  thus  acquired,  is  another  form  of  education  which 
parents  ought  to  attend  to  personally.  It  is  this  education  of  edu- 
cation that  is  so  badly  neglected  in  the  rising  generation,  and  all 
because  parents  were  themselves  neglected  in  early  life,  and  are 
therefore  deficient  in  this  respect.  Parents  who  were  once  flirts 
are  very  apt  to  let  their  children  do  the  same;  and  so  the  thing 
goes  on  and  will  until  a  movement  is  made  to  educate  children,  and 
parents  also,  in  a  more  practical  and  scientific  way. 

The  great  difficulty  is,  that  the  education  of  the  present  da)-  is 
too  superficial  and  fashionable.  That  which  teaches  them  concern- 
ing the  laws  of  mind  and  body  seems  to  be  ignored,  hence,  parents, 
as  well  as  children,  are  ignorant  concernmg  the  very  things  they 
ought  to  be  best  informed  upon  and  most  familiar  with.  People 
know  what  they  like,  what  they  desire,  and  what  they  do  not,  and 


rtiiiTAtioR  jS; 

flow  fflucli  they  difl"er  from  others  in  these  respects;  but  the  reason 
of  their  h'kes  and  dislikes,  preferences  and  differences,  they  seldom 
study  into  or  investigate.  For  instance:  here  are  two  children  of 
the  same  family,  both  fond  of  play;  the  one  will  leave  her  play  at 
the  first  call  of  either  parent,  but  the  other  will  keep  on  playing  as 
long  as  it  can,  and  have  to  be  almost  whipj)cd  away  from  it.  But 
neither  the  children  nor  the  parents  know  why  this  difference  exists. 
How,  then,  can  parents  train  their  children  aright,  when  they  do  not 
understand  the  laws  of  mind  that  cause  these  marked  differences 
in  children.^  And  how  can  they  save  them  from  the  various  forms 
of  sexual  dissipation,  where  they  do  not  understand  the  mental  and 
physical  laws  governing  the  sexual  organs?  The  solution  of  the 
great  problem  of  life,  as  well  as  the  future  greatness  and  glory  cf 
the  American  people,  lies  in  a  correct  knowledge  of  the  laws  that 
govern  mind  and  body;  or,  to  put  it  in  a  more  simple  phrase,  in 
understanding  ourselves  mentally  and  physically.  Lei  knowledg;e 
increase  and  crime  will  proportionately  diminish.  To  teach  men 
what  they  are  and  how  to  control  themselves,  will  do  more  to  close 
the  penitentiaries  and  empty  the  jails  than  all  the  laws  that  have 
ever  been  enacted,  or  all  the  police  forces  in  the  country  could 
ever  hope  to  do.     Prevention  is  better  than  cure. 

If  pretty  flirts  you  wish  to  cure, 

And  save  them  from  a  life  that's  fast. 
Just  make  them  work  and  look  demure: 

The  toil  and  care  will  dn>wn  the  past 

If  thoughtless  flirts  you  wish  to  cure, 

And  save  them  all  from  worthless  lives, 
Improve  their  minds,  and  then  be  sure 

To  teach  them  how  to  make  good  wives. 

If  pious  flirts  you  wish  to  cure, 

Just  put  them  in  the  elders'  pew; 
Long-fac'd  deacons  they  can't  endure, 

And  their  number  will  soon  be  few. 

If  roguish  flirts  you  wish  to  cure 

From  running  on  the  streets  at  night. 
Keep  them  at  home  till  you  are  sure 

They  can  go  out  and  act  all  right. 

If  wicked  flirts  you  wish  to  cure, 

Who  play  with  hearts,  as  cats  with  mice, 
TeU  thcfB  how  many,  once  fair  and  pursj 

Fn^^esi  4ie  like  podr  chur^b  mist. 


SHAM  MODESTY. 


What  it  is — Its  Cause — What  Young  People  Do  and  Read — How  it  Ruins  Young  Peoplt 
— Ignorance — Art  Galleries — Civilization — Two  Girls  in  the  Washington,  D.  C, 
Art  Gallery — Dress  and  Prostitution — Fancy  Pictures — Statuary — What  Regulate* 
Taste — Where  Immodesty  Exists — Arts  of  Women — What  Excites  Amativeness — 
Sentimental  Sham  Modesty — A  Lecturer's  Observations — A  Kind  of  Sham  Modesty 
Peculiar  to  Ministers — How  the  Public  are  Affected  by  it — Mock  Modesty  with 
Church  Members — How  it  Prevents  the  Truth  Being  Spoken — False  Modesty  the 
Mother  of  Ignorance — The  Cure  for  Sham  Modesty — Sham  Modesty  in  the  Use  o\ 
Words  and  Expressions  —Personal  Experiences — False  Modesty  in  Society — Sham 
Modesty  in  its  Relation  to  Kissing — Who  and  How  to  Kiss  and  Who  Not— Kissing 
Among  Women — Kissing  Games  at  Picnics — What  the  Schools  do  not  Teach. 


Modesty  is  one  of  the  most  charming  virtues  in  female  charac- 
ter, but  sham  or  assumed  modesty  is  one  of  the  most  disgusting 
things  in  human  nature,  and  yet  the  world  is  full  of  it.  It  has 
become  so  common  in  all  ranks  of  society  that  it  is  sometimes 
difficult  to  determine  the  genuine  from  the  imitation.  It  is  caused 
through  the  perverted  action  of  some  of  the  sentimental  faculties 
and  animal  propensities,  such  as  secretiveness,  amativeness,  appro- 
bativeness,  agreeableness  and  ideality.  It  is  a  kind  of  policy  used 
to  impress  people  with  a  false  idea  of  the  motives  of  the  mind  and 
desires  of  the  heart.  It  is  a  sort  of  whitewash  some  people  make 
use  of  to  conceal  the  corrupt  and  blackened  character  within — a 
lie  to  spread  over  the  countenance,  coloring  the  language  used,  and 
varnishing  the  actions.  It  is  a  name  without  existence,  a  thing 
which  seems  to  be,  but  is  not.  It  cannot  endure  temptation  or  trial, 
and  Rust  not  be  subjected  to  any  severe  test.  Sham  modesty  is 
easil)'  shocked,  because  it  is  often  the  outgrowth  of  ignorance.  It 
makes  a  mountain  out  of  a  mole  hill,  and  is  very  sensitive  to  criti- 
cism, and  whoever  shakes  hands  with  it  must  have  gloves  on.  It 
will  never  come  in  bare  contact  with  the  naked  truth;  it  has  no 
affinity  for  such  a  thing.  It  recoils  at  first  sight,  and  like  a  tortoise, 
hides  itself  in  its  shelL 


SWAM  MOMStY:  i^c) 

Sham  modesty  arises  principally  from  a  perverted  use  of  appro- 
bativeness  and  amativeness.  Sometimes  it  is  caused  through  a 
want  of  education  on  certain  things,  and  sometimes  it  is  acquired 
or  assumed  through  the  example  and  influence  of  others.  There  is 
also  a  large  amount  of  shame-facedness  which  is  akin  to  sham  mod- 
esty, caused  through  the  private  sin  of  self-abuse.  Such  persons 
are  generally  afraid  or  opposed  to  having  their  heads  examined, 
especially  young  people  with  the  organs  of  approbativeness  and 
cautiousness  large.  People  are  not  shocked  nor  do  they  blush  and 
wonder  at  things  they  often  see  and  become  familiar  with.  Re- 
peated observation  and  study  dispel  surprise  from  the  mind.  Hence 
I  regard  ignorance  or  want  of  education  of  certain  faculties  and 
natures  on  certain  subjects  as  the  general  cause  of  all  species  of 
mock  modesty. 

When  conversing  with  a  clergyman  on  one  occasion  in  reference 
to  this  subject,  and  the  dangers  to  which  youth  are  exposed  from 
the  evil  habit  to  which  I  have  just  alluded,  he  told  me  that  he  bought 
his  son  a  medical  book  and  told  him  to  read  and  study  it  that  he 
might  understand  his  own  body  from  head  to  foot,  and  thereby 
keep  himself  from  falling  into  a  snare  as  so  many  thousands  of  boys 
and  girls  were  constantly  doing.  One  day  the  daughter  of  one  of 
his  deacons  came  to  his  house  on  a  visit,  and  saw  his  son  with  this 
book.  She  went  home  and  told  her  father  that  the  pastor's  son  had 
a  bad  book;  that  she  had  seen  him  reading  it,  and  probably  saw 
some  of  the  illustrations.  The  righteous  but  over-modest  soul  ol 
the  deacon  was  aroused,  and  he  waxed  warm.  He  went  to  his 
pastor's  house  and  told  him  he  thought  it  was  his  duty  to  let  him 
know  that  his  son  was  in  the  habit  of  reading  vile  books.  "Well, 
now,"  said  the  minister,  "I  do  not  believe  it.  I  know  my  boy  too 
well,  and  am  sure  he  would  not  read  such  a  book,  and  certainly  not 
without  my  knowledge."  "  But,"  said  the  deacon,  emphatically,  "he 
has  been  seen  with  such  a  book."  "Well,  who  is  your  authority  ?" 
asked  the  preacher,  to  which  the  deacon  did  not  care  to  reply.  So 
walking  over  to  his  library  he  took  down  the  medical  work  in  ques- 
tion, and  handing  it  to  the  deacon,  said,  "There,  I  suppose  that  is 
the  book  my  son  was  seen  reading."  "Do  not  know,  perhaps  it  is," 
said  the  deacon.  Then  a  long  discussion  ensued  between  pastor  and 
deacon  as  to  the  propriety  of  letting  young  people  read  such  works, 
and  after  an  hour's  conversation  on  the  subject,  the  deacon  went 


tgO  SHAM  MODESTT. 

home  converted  in  his  views  and  convinced  that  the  pastor  was 

right. 

There  is  a  large  proportion  of  young  people  who  will  read  the 
most  exciting  love  stories  they  can  get,  and  will  think  about  such 
things  day  and  night,  until  their  imagination  runs  wild,  and  they 
show  their  amorous  thoughts  in  their  very  looks;  but  think  it  silly 
to  talk  about  love  affairs,  and  they  would  blush  behind  their  ears, 
or  try  to  do  it,  if  they  heard  a  little  plain  talk  of  a  sexual  nature. 
Now,  if  these  parties  would  only  talk  more  and  read  less,  it  would 
have  a  wholesome  effect  upon  their  minds,  and  they  would  be  better 
informed  on  these  subjects,  and  would  not  make  such  fools  of 
themselves.  Sexual  sham  modesty  springs  either  from  downright 
ignorance  on  such  matters,  or  else  from  self-abuse,  or  both. 

Sham  modesty  has  ruined  many  a  bright  young  man  and  woman, 
because  their  parents  were  too  nice  and  particular  about  many  things 
to  teach  them  in  early  life  what  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  them 
to  know.  On  the  other  hand,  this  kind  of  feeling  keeps  young 
persons  from  conversing  freely  on  some  matters,  which  in  many 
instances,  causes  them  much  physical  injury  and  inconvenience.  I 
remember  hearing  of  a  young  woman  who  lost  her  life  through  ig- 
norance of  physiological  laws,  because  her  stupid  mother  had  never 
instructed  her.  And  I  fear  there  are  some  mothers  who  do  not 
know  as  much  as  their  daughters.  They  probably  learned  more 
about  flirting  in  their  younger  days  than  they  did  about  their  bodies 
or  their  offspring.  Yes,  there  are  plenty  of  women  calling  them- 
selves mothers  who  are  as  green  as  unripe  pumpkins.  Thus,  sham 
modesty  erects  a  partition  between  parents  and  children,  and  cuts 
off  communication  on  the  most  important  subjects  connected  with 
their  happiness  and  prosperity  on  earth,  and  it  may  be  hereafter. 
The  amount  of  ignorance  that  prevails  in  reference  to  the  organism 
of  the  body  is  almost  incredible.  Three  or  four  women  had  assem- 
bled rather  early  one  evening,  for  the  weekly  prayer  meeting,  and 
were  sitting  around  the  stove,  talking  about  their  pastor's  sickness. 
One  of  them  asked  what  was  the  matter  with  him,  when  another 
answered  by  saying  she  did  not  know,  but  thought  he  had  a  spine 
in  his  back.  A  Christian  mother  told  me  she  knew  of  a  young 
married  couple  who  were  in  great  anxiety  and  distress  of  mind  a 
few  months  after  they  were  married,  because  they  both  thought  the 
fonng  mother  would  have  to  be  dissected  to  give  birth  to  her  child, 


SHAM   MODESTY.  IQI 

I  claim  that  a  couple  so  ignorant  of  their  bodies  as  that,  are  not  fit  to 
be  parents  or  even  to  marry.  Young  people  ought  to  be  thoroughly 
informed  on  all  such  subjects  before  taking  the  vows  of  marriage 
upon  themselves.  How  can  they  protect  and  bring  healthy  off- 
spring into  the  world  when  more  ignorant  on  such  subjects  than 
the  wild  animals  that  inhabit  the  jungles  of  India? 

Sham  or  false  modesty,  which  arises  from  ignorance,  is  most 
apparent  in  regard  to  works  of  art.  People  who  have  no  taste  for 
that  which  is  beautiful  and  perfect  in  form,  do  not  study  or  interest 
themselves  in  art;  hence,  statuary,  or  any  picture  representing  the 
female  form,  excites  in  them  no  admiration,  but  rather  disgust,  or 
licentious  thoughts.  They  view  such  things  simply  from  an  animal 
standpoint,  and  the  more  corrupt  their  own  moral  nature,  the  more 
wicked  their  thoughts.  Any  person  having  large  ideality,  form, 
amativeness  and  human  nature,  cannot  help  admiring  a  beautiful 
figure,  while  those  deficient  in  two  or  more  of  the  above  faculties, 
fail  to  see  anything  lovely  in  the  human  form;  in  fact,  it  is  objec- 
tionable to  them.  Such  persons  should  study  art  and  visit  art 
galleries.  If  people  were  more  familiar  with  chaste  paintings  of 
the  human  form  and  with  statuary,  there  would  not  be  such  a  mor- 
bid, crazy,  sly  desire  to  see  a  living  person  in  that  condition,  at 
times  and  under  circumstances  which  are  forbidden.  And  if  they 
should  chance  to  see  a  nude  person,  they  would  not  be  so  easily 
shocked  and  excited  over  it. 

There  is  no  better  sign  or  proof  of  civilization  in  a  nation  than 
the  cultivation  and  appreciation  of  the  arts  and  sciences.  Those 
men  and  women  who  cannot  look  upon  a  beautiful,  chaste  and 
gracefully-posed  picture  of  the  human  figure,  without  feeling 
shocked,  should  censure  themselves,  and  not  the  picture.  A  sense 
of  shame  and  sin  go  together;  therefore,  let  those  who  feel  ashamed 
when  looking  upon  works  of  art,  purify  their  amative  nature — then 
they  will  see  nothing  objectionable.  Adam  and  Eve  were  not 
ashamed  till  they  sinned.  Sin  brought  shame,  and  shame  was  the 
cause  of  dressing,  which  commenced  with  fig-leaves,  covering  only 
the  middle  part  of  the  body.  While  visiting  the  art  gallery  in 
Washington  City,  I  noticed  two  girls  looking  at  the  statue  of  a 
male  figure.  Their  eyes  hardly  caught  sight  of  it  before  they  began 
to  nudge  one  another  and  whisper  and  giggle,  as  though  there  was 
something  awful   funny  about  it.     They  had   impure  minds   and 


192  SHAM   MODESTY. 

thoughts,  caused  by  a  low,  organic,  irreligious  nature,  with  a  mix- 
ture of  mirthfulness,  amativeness  and  cunning.  In  like  manner  I 
observed  three  women  in  the  art  gallery  of  the  Chicago  Exposition, 
who  were  curiously  scanning  a  beautiful  oil  painting  of  a  female 
figure,  and  were  pointing,  whispering  and  tittering  to  each  other, 
till  some  men  came  along,  when  their  attention  and  position  was 
suddenly  turned  toward  some  other  picture,  as  though  they  were 
looking  at  or  doing  something  they  were  ashamed  of  Nowadays, 
people  glory  in  extravagant  dressing;  hence,  they  glory  in  their 
shame.  Our  first  parents  wanted  no  dressing  till  they  prostituted 
themselves.  Dressing  commenced  with  prostitution,  and  prostitu- 
tion and  dress  generally  go  together.  That  is,  many  persons  will 
prostitute  themselves  in  order  to  dress  well,  so  that,  after  all,  the 
necessity  of  having  to  dress,  is  no  sign  of  purity  nor  credit  to 
humanity.  Let  persons  of  false  modesty  therefore  remember  that 
if  it  had  not  been  for  sin,  there  would  have  been  no  necessity  for 
dress  —  that  is,  as  long  as  Eden  existed. 

God  rtever  made  anything  impure  or  immodest.  Immodesty 
exists  in  the  mind,  not  the  body.  All  human  sin  originates  in  the 
soul  or  heart;  the  body  simply  shows  the  effect  of  it.  But  there 
are  thousands  of  persons  who  object  to  see  a  lady  expose  her  neck 
and  shoulders  in  a  low-necked  dress.  Such  persons  manifest  one 
or  more  of  three  things:  either  ignorance,  pretense,  or  lack  of  taste 
and  amativeness.  And  they  seem  to  think  that  women  who  so 
dress,  are  a  little  off  the  track,  morally.  Hence,  persons  who  are 
not  virtuous,  are  frequently  the  strongest  opposers  to  low-neck 
dressing,  in  order  to  make  believe  and  throw  off  suspicion  from 
themselves.  Some  object  to  this  style  of  dressing  through  jealousy. 
Having  poor  figures  themselves,  they  think  they  cannot  dress  in 
that  way,  and  so  dislike  to  see  others;  just  the  same  as  one  woman 
will  envy  another  who  surpasses  her  in  dressing.  There  are  men, 
even  ministers,  who  will  wear  a  black  vest,  buttoned  close  up  to  the 
throat,  so  as  not  to  show  a  particle  of  the  shirt-front,  who  are  op- 
posed to  the  showing  of  the  female  form,  but  would  be  as  delighted 
and  interested  as  any  one,  to  secretly  look  at  the  face  and  figure  of 
a  beautiful  woman. 

Women  who  dress  in  black, especially  half-mourning, and  strong- 
ly object  to  exposing  their  form,  by  way  of  low-necked  dresses,  are 
often  more  to  be  suspected  than  those  who  dress  just  the  opposite. 


SHAM  MODESTY,  1 93 

There  afe  plenty  of  men  and  women  who  will  turn  up  their 
noses  at  art  representations  of  the  human  form,  whose  private 
character  would  not  bear  close  inspection.  They  would  not  have 
a  picture  of  themselves,  exposing  their  bust,  for  anything.  Why, 
what  would  their  mothers  and  friends  say  if  they  had  such  a  pic- 
ture.i*  But,  strange  to  say,  they  will  do  things  ten  times  worse,  and 
their  father  and  mother  are  left  out  of  consideration,  and  know 
nothing  about  it,  unless  they  chance  to  get  into  trouble. 

There  is  a  class  of  persons  who  object  to  pictures  in  low-necked 
dresses,  but  admire  statuary  showing  the  whole  figure  nude.  Now, 
what  is  the  moral  difference,  as  far  as  the  pictures  and  what  they 
represent  are  concerned,  whether  they  are  taken  from  life  or  from 
statuary.?  because  every  sculptor  gets  his  models  from  life  in  the 
first  place,  and  perhaps  selects  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  women 
before  he  can  form  his  ideal  statue.  Taking  a  leg  from  one,  an 
arm  from  another,  a  bust  from  the  third,  a  hand  or  foot  from  the 
fourth,  and  parts  of  the  features  from  others,  and  so  on  —  no  one 
woman  being  perfect  in  all  parts  of  the  body.  One  of  the  greatest 
works  of  antiquity,  "The  Birth  of  Venus,"  was  taken  from  Phryne 
of  Thespia,  in  Baeotia,  then  a  courtesan  of  Athens.  Apelles  and 
Praxiteles  were  both  upon  the  seashore,  and  saw  her  splendid  form 
coming  out  of  the  water. 

It  is  evident  that  the  real  objection  with  people  is  not  against 
exposing  the  human  form  at  all,  but  rather  against  the  individual 
who  does  it.  They  do  not  object  to  statuary,  because  it  is  not  sup- 
posed to  be  a  likeness  of  any  person;  whereas,  if  a  woman  was  to 
be  a  subject  for  such  a  thing,  this  feeling  of  sham  modesty  in  per- 
sons, combined  with  suspicions  and  a  lack  of  charity,  would  at  once 
consider  her  a  prostitute,  when  she  might  be  as  innocent  as  a  child; 
for  virtuous  women  frequently  become  models  for  artists. 

Fashion  and  habit  have  much  to  do  in  regulating  a  person's  taste 
and  ideas  about  these  things.  It  is  so  customary  for  women  to 
cover  their  persons  from  head  to  foot,  that  when  one  does  step  out 
of  the  ordinary  mode  of  dressing,  and  show  either  the  breast  or  a 
limb,  it  creates  surprise  and  excites  curiosity;  whereas,  if  it  was  the 
custom  to  dress  that  way  all  the  time,  no  notice  would  be  taken. 
Is  there,  or  can  there  be,  any  more  licentiousness  among  the  sav- 
ages, who  have  little  or  no  clothing  on  them,  than  there  is  among 
civilized  nations,  with  all  their  dressing  and  apparent  morality?     I 


194  SHAM  MODESTY. 

venture  to  assert,  that  the  fascinating  styles  of  dressing  haV6  done 
more  to  excite  men's  amative  nature,  than  all  the  fancy  and  nude 
pictures  could  ever  do;  because  a  nude  figure  is  complete  in  itself, 
and  leaves  nothing  for  the  imagination  to  work  upon;  whereas,  a 
picture  or  person  partially  draped  or  exposed,  tends  only  to  excite 
the  imagination  and  create  a  desire  to  see  more.  Though,  of 
course,  I  am  not  advocating  that  people  should  go  improperly 
dressed,  but  merely  seeking  to  show  that  the  artful,  sudden  and 
momentary  exposure  of  the  limbs  or  bosom  tends  to  excite  the 
passions  more  than  the  nude  figure  would,  or  the  permanent  ex- 
posure of  any  part  of  the  body.  Women  understand  this,  and 
dress  and  act  accordingly.  Why  all  this  padding,  stuffing  and 
trimming  of  dresses,  if  not  to  add  to  the  charms  of  the  wearer,  and 
give  the  appearance  of  a  good  figure,  which  the  wearers  would 
never  be  without?  Why  wear  long  skirts  on  the  streets  if  not  to 
be  compelled  to  raise  them  and  attract  the  attention  of  passers-by 
to  a  pair  of  pretty  ankles  or  limbs,  made  more  exciting  by  the 
white  and  embroidered  under-clothing?  The  bare  figure  would 
never  excite  the  passions  as  these  devices  of  women  do.  Go  out 
any  day  upon  the  principal  streets  of  the  city  when  they  are 
muddy,  and  you  will  see  plenty  of  men  on  the  corners,  who  make 
a  business  of  watching  ladies  passing  over  the  crossings;  and  yet 
the  forms  of  many  of  them  are  not  much  better  than  a  broom- 
handle.  I  heard  of  a  man  who  used  to  take  the  hose  and  water 
the  sidewalk  in  front  of  his  store  every  morning,  so  as  to  make  the 
ladies  raise  their  dresses.  Some  women  are  either  not  particular 
or  else  are  not  conscious  how  high  they  do  raise  their  dresses;  and 
whenever  you  meet  a  woman  who  makes  it  convenient  to  cross  her 
legs,  and  make  a  liberal  display  of  one  or  both  of  them,  at  the 
moment  she  knows  you  are  about  to  enter  the  room  (if  you  are  a 
gentleman),  you  may  conclude  she  is  fast,  or  far  from  being  as 
modest  and  virtuous  as  she  ought  to  be.  The  female  form,  there- 
fore, partially  exposed  in  rich,  embroidered  drapery,  is  far  more 
exciting  and  tempting  than  the  nude  figure. 

But,  as  I  have  stated,  I  am  not  advocating  immodesty  in  dress, 
but  wish  to  confute  the  idea  of  evil  attending  the  exhibition  of  the 
human  figure  in  a  modest  position.  And  I  wish  persons  of  false 
modesty,  especially  those  connected  with  churches,  to  remember 
they  need  to  exercise  genuine  modesty  in  regard  to  dressing,  as 


SHAM  MODESTY.  ^95 

well  as  their  persons;  and  that  the  passion  for  extravag^ant  dressing 
has  ruined  men  and  women  by  the  thousand.  Such  persons  are 
very  modest  about  some  things,  but  not  modest  enough  in  their 
demands  to  live  within  their  means,  particularly  in  high  life. 

But  not  only  does  the  modern  and  fashionable  style  of  dressing 
excite  the  amativeness  of  men,  but  also  their  imagination.  The 
summer  mode  of  dressing  —  in  low  waist,  covered  with  black  or 
white  gauze  —  is  adopted  by  many  who  would  be  too  modest  to 
expose  the  bare  shoulders,  and  yet  the  gauze  style  draws  mostly  on 
the  imaginations  of  men.  I  am  not  criticising  or  finding  any  fault 
with  the  styles  or  quality  of  dressing,  but  rather  the  disposition  and 
feeling  people  manifest  in  their  choice  of  dressing.  There  seems 
to  be  such  a  strong  desire  in  human  nature  to  cover  up  and  conceal 
the  motives.  If  a  thing  can  be  done  secretly,  and  on  the  sly,  so 
that  no  one  will  know  or  suspect  the  intentions,  it  is  all  right. 
Principle,  and  the  right  or  wrong  of  a  thing,  the  good  or  evil  of  it, 
after  all,  do  not  enter  into  the  consideration.  It  is:  What  will 
people  say  or  think  about  such  a  thing.'*  This  is  what  I  call  sham 
modesty;  because  such  people  are  governed  and  influenced  more 
by  human  opinion  than  they  are  by  God  and  principle.  They  lack 
independence  of  mind,  and  are  slaves  to  what  others  think  and  say. 
The  fact  that  physiology  was  never  taught  more  in  the  past,  is 
partly  attributable  to  false  modesty.  Why,  a  lady  teacher  in  a 
public  school  was  discharged  not  long  ago,  for  lecturing  the  girls 
about  tight  lacing  and  its  evil  effects;  and  while  lecturing,  myself, 
in  a  young  ladies'  seminary  in  Washington,  I  noticed  the  young 
women  became  very  uneasy,  and  the  principal  was  also  anxious  to 
have  me  get  through  as  soon  as  possible,  when  I  alluded  to  the 
same  injurious  effects  of  tight  lacing.  Truth  and  criticism  were  not 
a  palatable  thing  to  those  fashionable,  party-going  young  ladies. 
But  I  noticed,  as  soon  as  I  changed  the  subject  of  my  remarks,  both 
teacher  and  scholars  were  contented  to  listen  as  long  as  I  wanted 
to  talk.  And  if  there  is  any  branch  of  education  in  the  world  that 
people  need  to  understand,  it  is  a  knowledge  of  their  own  physical 
organization.  But  society  is  so  refined  and  polished  nowadays,  that 
young  people  would  feel  themselves  defiled  to  even  mention  the 
names  of  some  of  the  physiological  organs.  Then,  again,  the  study 
of  physiology  would  be  dry,  and  not  half  so  interesting  as  a  nice 
novel,  that  will  exeite  their  imagination  until  they  perhaps  abus^ 


196  SHAM  MODESTY. 

themselves,  and  fall  into  habits  the  physiological  effects  of  which 
they  know  nothing  about. 

The  cure  for  sham  modesty  lies  in  educating  people  in  the  arts 
and  sciences.  To  study  the  laws  of  their  own  being  is  to  acquire 
higher  and  nobler  conceptions  of  their  own  nature  and  destiny.  It 
will  dispel  the  idea  so  common  in  ignorant  minds,  that  their  bodies 
are  mere  machines,  and  their  physiological  organs  simply  instru- 
ments for  sexual  pleasure.  If  young  people  were  as  familiar  with 
physiology  as  they  are  with  pianos  and  the  fashions,  there  would 
be  less  false  modesty.  And  if  they  studied  art  more,  and  visited 
picture  galleries  oftener,  they  would  not  be  shocked  at  statuary. 
Let  such  persons  who  are  in  the  habit  of  blushing  at  trifles,  learn 
rather  to  feel  ashamed  of  their  evil  thoughts  and  besetting  sins,  for 
they  have  certainly  more  need  to  blush  at  the  pictures  painted  by 
their  own  imagination,  than  at  those  executed  by  the  cultivated 
skill  of  an  artist. 

There  are  prominent  publishing  houses  which  would  not  print 
a  book  that  in  plain,  unvarnished  language,  exposed  the  evils  of 
society,  and  the  underlying  motives  of  human  character.  But 
these  same  firms  will  fill  their  stores  and  flood  the  whole  country 
with  miserable,  trashy,  sentimental  literature,  that  instills  into  the 
minds  of  people,  especially  the  young,  artful  and  cunning  ideas  of 
refined  wickedness;  books  that  prematurely  excite  the  imagination, 
kindle  the  love  passions,  and  fill  the  mind  with  rosy  and  over- 
drawn pictures  of  life.  May  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  those  men 
who  use  their  brains  and  money  chiefly  to  picture  to  the  world 
only  the  light,  funny  and  frivolous  side  of  human  life! 

Occasionally  a  sham-modest  woman  opens  a  school  for  fashion- 
able young  ladies,  and  takes  great  pains  to  teach  them  all  that 
pertains  to  their  sphere  of  life,  but  would  vigorously  oppose  the 
introduction  of  a  book  that  would  open  their  eyes  to  what  the 
world  is,  what  they  are  themselves  by  nature,  and  what  they  are 
not  by  grace.  In  other  words,  a  book  that  would  give  them  a  little 
plain  common-sense  advice,  which  unfortunately  those  sham-modest 
school-ma'ams  never  learned  themselves,  and  partially  for  that  rea- 
son object  to  it.  I  have  met  just  such  women  in  my  travels,  and 
particularly  one  who  had  a  fashionable  school  in  a  partially  eastern 
and  southern  city.  I  lectured  before  her  school,  and  three  or  four 
of  ker  young  ladies  ordered  a  copy  of  my  book  (the  first  ^nd  smftUf  r 


SHAM   MODESTY.  197 

edition  of  this  work),  while  the  principal  took  the  only  copy  I  had 
with  me  herself.  I  saw,  or  at  least  thought,  she  was  one  of  the 
sham-modest  kind,  and  requested  her  to  read  the  book  through 
from  the  beginning,  and  not  take  isolated  paragraphs,  which  such 
people  are  most  sure  to  do.  ''She  did  just  the  opposite,  however; 
glanced  over  the  chapters  she  had  evidently  prejudged  in  her  mind 
to  be  improper  for  her  dear,  sweet,  innocent  girls  to  read,  and  sent 
the  girls'  books  back  with  a  note,  saying  she  was  glad  she  had 
looked  at  the  book  before  the  young  ladies  got  theirs;  that  she 
should  never  have  forgiven  herself  if  they  had  read  those  books; 
putting  ideas  and  information  into  their  minds  concerning  things 
which  might  exist,  but,  old  as  she  was,  she  had  never  heard  of 
When  I  related  this  incident  to  two  other  prominent  educators, 
one  a  lady,  the  other  a  gentleman  (the  latter  having  a  national 
reputation),  and  who  had  read  my  book,  they  were  surprised,  and 
laughed  at  the  absurdity  and  ignorance  of  that  fashionable  school- 
mistress. As  to  the  pure-mindedness  and  innocence  of  her  pupils, 
which  she  claimed  would  be  a  sin  to  disturb  or  corrupt  with  the 
information  on  certain  subjects  my  book  contained,  and  the  kind  of 
training  she  was  giving  her  girls  by  neglecting  to  talk  to  them  on 
the  very  subjects  which  they  most  needed  to  know,  I  leave  the 
reader  to  imagine,  while  I  relate  some  of  her  girls'  performances, 
which  she,  being  so  modest  or  indifferent,  or  confiding  as  to  their 
natural  and  inherited  goodness,  was  unaware  of.  Just  before  leaving 
the  city,  I  was  asked  by  a  lady  to  examine  the  head  of  her  daugh- 
ter, a  young  lady  about  fifteen  years  of  age.  She  said  she  thought 
of  sending  her  to  some  seminary  but  hardly  knew  where;  and  then, 
without  any  suggestions  on  my  part,  alluded  to  the  school  I  have 
been  speaking  of,  saying  she  would  not  send  her  there,  for  that  was 
a  sort  of  fashionable  and  flirting  school,  where  young  men  met 
some  of  the  girls  as  they  came  out  of  school  and  escorted  them 
home;  and  that  one  day,  as  she  was  passing  along  the  street,  she 
happened  to  look  up  at  the  windows,  and  saw  two  of  those  girls 
with  their  heads  outside,  throwing  kisses  to  some  gentlemen  Dn 
the  street.  Of  course,  it  would  be  a  great  pity  to  corrupt  the 
pure  minds  of  such  flirts  as  they  were,  by  letting  them  read  a  book 
that  would  give  them  a  little  wholesome  advice.  That  was  one 
of  the  leading  schools  in  a  city  of  over  three  hundred  thousand 


iqS  sham  modesty. 

A  g^entleman  of  high  culture  and  refinement,  connected  with 
educational  work  in  the  same  city,  who  bought  and  read  my  work, 
expressed  himself  one  day,  as  I  met  him  on  the  street,  as  highly 
pleased  with  it;  stating  he  had  been  reading  it  with  much  interest 
to  his  family.  In  another  city,  a  clergyman,  who  was  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  College,  expressed  himself  in  a  similar  way.  I  merely 
mention  these  individuals  just  referred  to,  in  order  to  prove  to  the 
reader,  if  possible,  that  what  this  seminary  lady  turned  up  her  nose 
at  in  my  book,  was  simply  plain,  practical,  common-sense  truth, 
which  wounded  her  mock-modesty. 

I  remember  meeting  another  of  those  over-modest,  fastidious, 
delicate,  half-educated  seminary  principals,  in  Massachusetts,  who 
went  so  far  as  to  tell  me  she  did  not  think  young  ladies  shouid 
know  anything  about  physiognomy;  it  was  not  a  proper  thing  for 
them  to  know.  1  presume  the  fact  of  the  matter  was,  she  knew 
nothing  about  physiognomy  herself,  and,  therefore,  had  just  as 
absurd  ideas  about  it  as  some  men  I  have  met  in  places  where  I 
have  given  public  lectures,  who  would  stop  me  on  the  street,  or  in 
a  store,  and  quietly  ask  me  if  my  lecture  on  physiognomy  was  a  fit 
place  to  take  a  lady  to. 

When  I  think  of  these  things  I  do  not  wonder  at  the  bold  re- 
mark the  principal  of  a  high-school  once  made  to  me,  when  he  said 
that  young  ladies'  boarding-schools  were  cesspools  of  iniquity. 
While  I  should  not  put  it  quite  so  strong  as  that,  yet  I  do  b'-Jieve 
that  the  starting  point  to  a  life  of  worthlessness,  ruin  or  ill-health, 
is  often  begun  in  such  institutions,  because  girls  are  not  taught 
physiology  as  it  should  be,  nor  taught  the  nature  of  their  own 
organism.  The  result  is,  that  through  the  reading  of  exciting 
novels,  they  fall  into  habits  of  self-indulgence  and  abuse.  In  one 
seminary  where  I  lectured,  a  girl  had  found  her  way  to  the  lunatic 
asylum  through  lying  in  bed  until  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning  reading  novels.  The  principal  had  upbraided  her  several 
times  for  not  having  her  lessons,  but  she  grew  worse  and  worse 
until  her  father  was  finally  sent  for  to  take  her  home,  and  from  there 
she  went  to  the  insane  asylum.  In  another  school  where  I  lectured, 
a  young  woman  had  been  coaxed  away  by  a  young  man,  taken  to 
another  city,  seduced,  and  left  in  a  house  of  prostitution.  Oh! 
these  seminary  young  ladies  are  all  innocent,  pure-minded  girls, 
are  they?    Some  of  theip  no  doubt  are  in  public  and  in  private,  and 


SttAM  MODEStV.  1 90 

Would  continue  so  if  left  to  themselves;  but  the  old  saying  is  too 
true:  "One  bad  sheep  will  spoil  a  whole  flock."  And  when  one  or 
two  flirty,  mischievous,  artful,  cunning,  licentious  girls  get  into  a 
school,  they  generally  hoodwink  their  confiding,  simple-minded, 
know-nothing  kind  of  teachers,  and  just  raise  the  devil  when  they 
are  alone.  They  are  all  pretty  good  when  under  the  eyes  and 
fingers  of  their  teachers  in  the  class-rooms.  They  put  on  a  sober 
face  and  look  as  meek  and  innocent  as  young  chickens  or  lambs; 
but  let  them  get  off  by  themselves  and  your  chicken  becomes  an 
old  hen  pretty  quick.  I  would  not  be  misunderstood,  however,  and 
place  all  seminaries  and  all  principals  of  such  institutions  in  the 
same  category.  There  are  a  good  many  common-sense  men  and 
women  at  the  head  of  such  institutions,  who  are  pretty  well  versed 
in  human  nature,  and  know  how  to  manage  lazy,  cunning,  thought- 
less and  wayward  girls.  Neither  have  I  said  what  I  have  through 
any  feelings  of  prejudice  or  spite,  for  my  relations  with  such 
schools  —  and  I  have  lectured  in  a  great  many  of  them — have 
always  been  pleasant  and  agreeable.  In  fact,  there  are  no  schools 
where  my  lectures  are  more  heartily  enjoyed  than  in  young  ladies* 
seminaries.  The  chief  difficulty  I  experience  is,  in  sometimes 
getting  the  principals  to  see  the  importance  of  such  a  lecture;  and 
the  chief  complaint  1  have  against  such  schools,  and,  in  fact,  against 
all  schools  is,  that  they  do  not  pursue  the  right  method  of  instruc- 
tion and  discipline;  hence  the  vast  amount  of  sham  modesty  with 
all  its  attendant  evils  that  exists  in  all  classes  of  society. 

I  have  thus  far  spoken  of  what  may  be  termed  sexual  sham 
modesty.  There  is  another  kind,  which  I  propose  to  call  sentimen- 
tal sham  modesty.  I  remember  a  lecturer  telling  the  following 
story  some  years  ago:  At  a  place  where  he  dined,  he  was  seated 
opposite  a  young  lady,  who  was  so  extremely  delicate  and  modest 
that  she  could  not  put  a  whole  pea  in  her  mouth  at  once,  but  must 
needs  cut  it  in  two  first.  That  was  too  much  for  the  lecturer,  and 
feeling  satisfied  that  there  was  more  pretended  than  real  modesty, 
he  resolved  to  watch  her  after  dinner  was  over.  He  did  so,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  she  made  her  way  to  the  pantry,  and,  imagin- 
ing herself  secluded  from  observation,  she  commenced  to  finish  her 
dinner.  She  did  not  wait  to  cut  the  peas  in  two  this  time,  but  with 
a  tablespoon  actually  shoveled  them  down.  This  is  but  one  illus- 
tration of  what  takes  place  in  every  seminary  where  ladies  and 


200  SHAM  MODESTV. 

gentlemen  board,  and  eat  at  the  same  table.  The  ladies  eat  ffl 
such  a  mincing  manner  that. they  do  not  get  more  than  half  enough, 
and  so  are  always  running  to  the  pantry  between  meals  (that  is, 
where  the  management  is  not  too  stingy  to  allow  them  enough  to 
eat,  as  is  the  case  in  some  boarding  schools).  Would  it  not  be 
better  for  them  to  dispense  with  a  little  of  their  modest  foolery,  and 
eat  enough  at  the  proper  time?  And  would  it  not  be  more  bene- 
ficial if  their  instructors  would  give  them  a  lecture  on  the  absurdity 
of  such  conduct,  and  the  violation  of  physiological  laws  in  regard 
to  eating,  instead  of  lecturing  them  for  speaking  to  the  gentlemen 
students  on  the  streets,  when  they  are  allowed  to  converse  with 
them  at  the  table  ? 

We  occasionally  meet  persons  who  have  a  habit  of  pretending 
they  do  not  want  an  object  or  a  position  when  they  do,  with  the 
expectation  that  it  will  be  more  freely  given  to  them.  Many  an 
office-seeker  will  not  say  he  wants  such  a  position  —  in  fact,  he 
would  hardly  accept  it  if  tendered  to  him;  at  the  same  time  he  is 
just  aching  for  it.  Some  persons  will,  for  a  time,  loudly  proclaim 
against  being  the  recipient  of  any  presents  or  donations,  but,  finally, 
their  modesty  gives  way,  and  when  a  favorable  opportunity  is  offered 
they  will  take  all  they  can  get.  Others  will  not  mention  their  trials 
and  poverty  till  some  other  person  speaks  of  them  first,  so  as  to 
receive  all  the  more  sympathy  when  it  is  known.  Though  I  do  not 
believe  every  person  who  refrains  from  speaking  of  his  or  her  pov- 
erty or  sufferings  has  such  a  motive. 

Some  ministers,  when  they  do  not  receive  their  salaries  promptly, 
or  see  a  chance  to  get  a  larger  one,  inform  their  congregations  that 
they  are  very  sorry  duty  calls  them  to  leave,  but  they  feel  that  some 
other  man  would  be  more  successful  among  them  than  they  have 
been,  and  that  they  think  the  Lord  has  called  them  to  another  and 
more  useful  field  of  labor.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that  the  Lord 
never  called  such  men  at  all.  Men  who  preach  for  salaries  are 
hirelings,  who  care  more  for  their  pockets,  for  the  loaves  and  fishes, 
than  for  the  souls  of  men.  They  are  in  for  a  fat  office,  and  they  do 
as  fat  men  do,  and  say  to  themselves,  "Soul,  take  thine  ease."  Just 
as  soon  as  ministers  get  fat  salaries,  they  are  spoiled  for  their  work. 
When  men  have  all  they  want,  they  are  not  generally  interested  in 
the  wants  of  others.  When  a  business  man  is  hard  up,  he  is  the 
most  accommodating  and  neighborly  man  you  wish  to  meet.     But 


SHAM  MODESTY.  201 

as  fioon  as  he  gfets  rich,  or  tn  easy  circumstances,  he  is  independent 
and  indifferent;  and  just  so  it  is  with  ministers.  They  hold  up 
Paul  as  an  illustrious  example,  next  to  Christ  in  the  grandeur  of  his 
character,  but  very  few  of  them  think  of  imitating  him  in  regard  to 
making  their  living. 

I  do  not  consider  a  minister  should  be  allowed  to  want,  or  b*^ 
troubled  with  financial  embarrassment,  nor  do  I  believe  God  wiU 
allow  a  man  whom  he  has  called  to  preach  tlie  gospel,  to  lack  for 
either  bread  or  clothing.  But  when  ministers  become  speculators 
in  real  estate,  or  when  a  panic  is  sweeping  over  the  land,  and 
church  members  are  in  straitened  circumstances,  they  say  to  the 
church,  *'Pay  me  my  salary,  or  1  will  leave,"  it  is  evident  they  arc 
not  loyal  to  the  cause  they  jjrofess  to  advocate;  and  yet  their  false 
modesty  will  manufacture  some  other  excuse  for  their  leaving. 
Churches  are  about  as  much  to  blame  as  ministers  in  this  respect, 
for  they  offer  tempting  and  immoderate  salaries  and  inducements 
to  get  an  able  man  away  from  some  other  church,  and  if  he  accepts 
their  call,  the  wealthy  members  begin  to  lavish  presents  upon  him, 
as  a  sort  of  bribe,  in  order  to  be  special  favorites,  till  his  brain  is 
turned  upside  down.  The  worst  thing  that  can  befall  a  minister, 
with  the  exception  of  something  criminal,  is  to  become  pastor  of  a 
church  that  pays  him  a  large  salary,  or  else  pets  and  idolizes  him 
till  they  make  him  a  baby.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between 
Christian  love,  which  is  modest  and  enduring  in  its  manifestations, 
and  the  excited  outburst  of  feeling  and  admiration,  which  is 
generally  immodest  in  manner,  corrupting  in  its  effects,  and  as 
changeable  as  the  climate  of  Chicago;  for  no  sooner  does  an 
idolized  pastor  leave,  than  most  of  their  ardor  is  withdrawn  to  be 
concentrated  on  the  one  who  takes  his  place.  I  was  amused  one 
Sunday  morning  at  a  preacher  in  Worcester,  Mass.  He  was  begging 
hard  from  his  congregation  for  a  certain  sum  of  money,  and  they 
were  holding  back  just  as  hard  as  he  was  begging.  Their  responses 
were  few  and  slow,  but  his  sham  modesty  would  not  let  him  talk  to 
them  as  they  deserved,  and  no  doubt  he  felt  in  his  heart  like  doing 
so.  He  mildly  requested  them  not  to  be  too  modest  in  responding. 
He  ought  to  have  told  them  not  to  be  too  stingy,  for  that  is  what 
really  ailed  them. 

I  firmly  believe,  that  to  this  false  modesty  or  lack  of  mora) 
courage,  so  prevalent  among  the  clergy  of  the  present  day,  may  be 


'^(M  ^MAM   MODfeStV. 

attnbuted  much  of  the  frivolity,  sentimentalism,  flirtative,  fashion- 
able foolery  and  irreligious  tendency  that  exists  in  society.  I 
remember  a  clergyman,  in  whose  pulpit  I  delivered  a  discourse  one 
evening,  who  refused  to  read  a  part  of  a  chapter  I  had  selected  in 
Proverbs,  bearing  on  my  subject.  And  it  is  nothing  but  ignorance 
and  sham  modesty  that  prevents  a  large  proportion  of  rehgious 
people  from  being  willing  to  hear  or  receive  plain  truth.  When  i 
think  of  the  army  of  preachers  all  over  this  continent  who  seem  far 
more  willing  to  discuss  some  doctrinal  point,  or  wander  into  the 
fields  of  theological  and  metaphysical  speculation,  or  interest  them- 
selves in  delivering  polished  and  sensational  sermons,  so  as  to  draw 
large  audiences,  than  they  are  in  preaching  on  those  more  vital  and 
every-day  questions  that  pertain  to  the  moral  and  social  nature 
from  which  springs  man's  present  and  future  character,  I  say  shame 
on  that  kind  of  preaching. 

There  are  some  members,  who,  through  that  kind  of  feeling 
which  arises  from  sham  modesty,  are  constantly  asserting  that  they 
do  not  feel  conscious  of  having  accomplished  anything  of  them- 
selves—  the  Lord  has  done  it  all;  when,  in  reality,  they  are  trying 
through  their  remarks  to  draw  people's  attention  to  the  work  they 
have  done.  Or,  perhaps,  they  will  say  they  consider  themselves 
the  least  among  God's  children,  when,  if  some  other  member  was  to 
tell  them  that,  they  would  not  have  pleasant  recollections  of  that 
individual  this  side  of  the  grave.  If  they  meant  and  felt  just  what 
they  said,  they  would  not  be  offended  at  another  person  telling 
them  what  they  regarded  as  the  truth;  hence,  the  sham  modesty 
of  their  remarks  is  apparent. 

False  modesty  prevents  men  from  declaring  the  truth  as  it  ought 
to  be;  induces  them  to  keep  back  things  or  ideas  they  consider  too 
delicate  to  mention,  but  which  ought  to  be  known;  prevents  per- 
sons from  calling  things  by  their  plain  Saxon  names,  like  the  girl 
in  school,  who  pronounced  the  word  legacy  liinbacy,  because  her 
sister  told  her  she  should  say  limb  instead  of  leg. 

There  is  a  tendency  in  the  literature  of  the  present  day  to  be 
over-nice  and  choice  in  their  use  of  words.  The  idea  is  often  lost  in 
the  delicate  network  of  fine,  polished  and  agreeable  language  with 
which  it  is  clothed.  I  love  prose  poetry  as  much  as  any  man,  but  ii 
has  its  use  and  abuse  like  everything  else.  There  is  a  time  and  place 
for  it,  and  there  are  times  and  subjects  where  it  is  inappropriate. 


SHAM   MODESTY.  203 

This  literary  species  of  sham  modesty  affects  conversation  as  well 
and  rriiders  some  persons  so  fastidious  in  that  art,  th.it  for  fear  ot 
inele^aTice  in  their  expressions  they  make  social  conversation  a 
task;  are  more  cautions  as  to  what  they  say  and  how  they  say  it,  chan 
they  would  be  in  getting  married.  Public  speakers  are  too  often 
affected  in  this  way  also,  and  the  hesitating,  studied  and  laborious 
manner  in  which  they  speak  is  so  clearly  impressed  upon  their 
audiences,  that  it  robs  their  discourses  of  one  half  of  their  effect  and 
power.  I  would  rather  hear  a  man  make  a  grammatical  blunder  or 
use  a  common-place  expression  occasionally  and  go  right  along 
with  his  discourse,  speaking  from  the  heart  to  the  heart,  than  to 
have  him  stop  and  mentally  chew  his  words  over  two  or  three  times 
before  he  could  make  up  his  mind  how  to  express  himself;  because 
my  attention  is  at  once  drawn  from  the  idea  to  the  language  he 
uses.  I  care  not  how  well  educated  a  man  is,  he  is  liable  to  make 
grammatical  mistakes  in  preaching  or  lecturing,  especially  if  he 
speaks  extempore  as  every  public  speaker  ought  to  do.  I  was  once 
criticised  by  a  public  school  principal  in  Chicago,  for  using  before 
his  pupils  an  ungrammatical  expression.  My  m;nd  was  so  ii  tent 
on  the  subject  1  was  illustrating  that  I  did  not  think  about  the  best 
choice  of  words.  He  told  the  principal  of  one  of  the  other  schools 
where  I  was  going  to  lecture  about  it,  and  that  intelligent  dignitary 
wrote  a  note  to  me  declining  my  services.  But  if  he  had  been  as 
modest  about  how  words  are  written  as  he  was  about  how  they  are 
spoken,  he  would  have  got  one  of  his  scholars  to  have  wi  itten  the 
note  for  him.  For  it  was  the  worst  specimen  of  penmanship  for  a 
high  school  principal  I  ever  saw,  and  when  I  alluded  to  the  matter 
to  the  superintendent,  he  remarked  he  did  not  think  writing  of 
much  importance  as  a  qualification  for  a  piincipal,  or  words  to  that 
effect.  I  always  thought  that  reading,  writing,  spelling  and  arith- 
metic were  the  four  principal  branches  of  a  public  school  education. 
But  I  presume  in  these  days  of  refinement  that  Latin,  German, 
drawing,  elocution  and  music  are  more  essential  to  nine-tenths  of 
public  school  children  who  have  to  make  their  living  in  some 
industrial  pursuit.  One  of  the  most  amusing  and  ridiculous  gram- 
matical blunders  I  ever  heard  was  by  the  principal  of  a  high  school 
while  giving  a  lesson  in  English  grammar  to  all  the  teachers  of  the 
various  schools  in  the  city.  For  if  there  is  any  class  of  persons 
upon  whoiij  tlie  duty  qf  using  correct  English  is  mgre  urgent  thil) 


204  SHAM   MODESTY. 

others,  it  is  teachers,  especially  when  giving  a  lesson  on  that  art. 
He  had  been  writing  sentences  on  the  blackboard  to  illustrate  his 
subject,  and  in  the  course  of  his  explanatory  remarks  made  use  of 
the  expression,  '*  away  down  below  the  bottom."  Of  course  the 
man  knew  better,  it  being  simply  a  thoughtless  slip  of  the  tongue, 
and  that  is  the  way  with  public  speakers  (generally.  Something 
like  a  Vassar  College  young  lady,  whose  mother  was  boarding  at 
the  same  house  where  I  stopped  for  a  short  time  in  Poughkeepsie. 
She  came  to  see  her  mother  one  Saturday  and  took  dinner  with  us. 
She  was  bright  and  lively  as  a  squirrel,  and  one  of  their  best 
students.  During  her  conversation  at  the  table,  she  had  occasion 
to  refer  to  a  rain  storm,  and  to  emphasize  the  way  those  heavenly 
drops  descended  upon  her  intelligent  head,  she  used  a  common  but 
unmeaning  expression,"  It  rained  like  pitch-forks."  Her  pious  moth- 
er winked  and  smiled  over  it.  Everybody  at  the  table  knew  there 
was  no  sense  in  such  a  remark,  and  the  young  lady  herself  also  knew 
it  was  not  proper.  But  it  served  to  create  a  little  mirth  and  pro- 
duced more  animation  and  interest  in  what  she  said  than  if  she 
had  put  on  a  sober  face  and  in  a  cold,  precise  way  said  it  rained 
very  hard  or  very  fast.  It  was  also  a  relief  to  her  mind  to  get  out 
of  college  talk  for  a  few  hours,  into  common-place,  social  talk. 
I  do  not  recommend,  however,  that  people  should  make  a  free  use 
of  slang  phrases. 

False  modesty  prevents  free  and  social  intercourse  between  the 
sexes.  That  is,  they  do  not  act  and  feel  at  ease  when  in  conversa- 
tion in  each  other's  company,  unless  quite  familiar.  Their  whole 
manner  is  restrained  and  constrained,  just  because  they  assume  a 
character  that  does  not  belong  to  them.  It  is  unnatural.  They 
act  differently  when  alone  at  home.  It  is  astonishing  how  sham 
modesty  will  make  its  victims  suffer.  Go  to  any  sociable  or  party, 
and  there  you  will  see  it  active  in  nearly  every  person  you  meet. 
Some  of  them  are  so  modest  they  v.re  afraid  to  speak,  for  fear 
they  will  do  or  say  something  not  exactly  modest.  Poor  creatures! 
If  they  were  to  see  their  country  cousins  romping  over  fields,  and 
climbing  fences,  they  would  be  shocked  speechless;  and  yet  coun- 
try girls  love  and  enjoy  health,  freedom  and  pleasure,  which  city 
girls  are  too  modest  to  enjoy.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  day  is  not 
far  distant,  when  men  and  women  can  converse  on  any  subject 
without  the  blush  of  guilty  shame  mantling  their  cheeks.     False 


SHAM    MODESTY.  20$ 

modesty  is  the  mother  of  sexual  ignorance,  and  the  indirect  cause 
of  a  vast  amount  of  sin  and  suffering.  It  is  a  thick  vail  thrown 
over  human  nature,  confining  ignorance,  excluding  knowledge,  and 
rendering  it  impossible  to  look  within. 

1  have  frequently  been  amused  at  the  manner  in  which  some 
persons  represent  their  business  or  mode  of  living,  in  order  to 
ap[)ear  as  high-toned  and  stylish  as  possible.  They  do  not  like  tc 
state  their  exact  condition,  and  so  represent  their  business  relations 
in  a  different  light  from  what  they  are.  There  are  numerous  cases 
in  large  cities,  especially  Chicago,  where  families  in  good  society, 
finding  it  difficult  to  meet  their  expenses,  will  take  two  or  three 
select  boarders,  but  to  prevent  the  name  of  "boarding-house" 
being  applied  to  them  (as  though  that  was  anything  to  be  ashamed 
of)  they  tell  their  acquaintances  that  they  have  more  room  than 
they  need,  and  it  is  so  much  pleasanter  to  have  a  few  friends  living 
with  them ! 

Centuries  ago,  men  and  women  were  grosser  in  thought  and 
feeling  and  the  expression  of  their  sentiments,  than  the  present 
generation  is.  Nowadays,  people  go  to  the  other  extreme,  and  are 
altogether  too  nice  and  sentimental.  If  works  were  published, 
containing  language  similar  to  that  used  by  writers  in  past  ages, 
and  suggestive  of  impure  thoughts,  their  authors  would  be  exe- 
crated, if  not  imprisoned;  and  yet  the  objectionable  portion  of  the 
poetical  works  of  such  writers  as  Byron  and  Shakespeare  are  re- 
tain<!d  and  perused  at  the  present  day.  So  I  consider  sham  modesty 
to  be  partially  an  outgrowth  of  sentimentalism. 

The  temper  of  society  seems  to  warrant  the  impression  that 
persons,  especially  men.  may  be  as  wicked  as  they  like  (except  in 
criminal  acts),  providing  thc\'  are  smart  and  shrewd  enough  to  do 
it  in  a  secret  manner,  so  that  their  deeds  are  not  conspicuous 
enough  to  cause  them  to  lose  their  good  name  or  become  the 
subjects  of  conversation  in  that  respect.  A  man  may  dissipate  as 
much  as  he  pleases,  and  then  by  straightening  his  course,  and 
regulating  his  habits  anu  general  conduct,  can  marry  one  of  the 
best  and  finest  of  young  ladies.  But  let  a  young  woman  do  the 
same  thing,  and  her  good  name  is  lost,  her  conduct  severely  criti- 
cised, and  her  reputation  is  objectionable  to  all  who  know  her. 
The  young  man  can  find  his  way  back  into  society,  but  the  young 
lady  may  find  her  way  out  as  quick  as  possible.     And,  in  many 


2o6  SHAM   MODESTY. 

instances,  these  very  men  who  have  been  sowing  their  wild  oats, 
are  the  first  to  speak  against  the  character  of  a  similar  class  of 
young  ladies,  which  their  reckless  life  has  been  the  means  of  bring- 
ing them  in  contact  with;  yea,  the  probability  is,  that  they  are  the 
individuals  whose  influence  has  been  the  chief  cause  of  their  mis- 
demeanor. Thus,  false  modesty  in  society  virtually  says:  "Young 
man,  go  ahead;  be  as  full  of  the  devil  as  you  please,  for  a  time; 
then  sober  down  and  marry  a  good  woman,  and  society  will  respect 
and  receive  you  with  outstretched  arms."  But  its  language  to  a 
woman  is  somewhat  different.  It  practically  says  to  her:  **If  you 
once  step  off  the  Irack,  or  even  do  anything  that  will  cause  suspi- 
cion, your  fate  i?  sealed,  and  there  is  no  more  room  for  you  in 
social  gatherin;j-j  ' 

Sham  modesty  has  even  interfered  with  the  practice  of  kissing. 
In  older,  tip'ies  it  was  customary  to  salute  one  another  in  that 
manner;  ?>nd  the  Apostle  Paul,  in  closing  most  of  his  epistles, 
particularly  enjoined  upon  the  churches  to  greet  one  another  with 
a  holy  kiss.  So  it  is  evident  that  either  Judas  must  have  rendered 
kissing  objectionable,  or  else  Christians  nowadays  have  not  love 
and  friendship  enough  for  one  another  to  do  so. 

A  kiss  ought  to  be  one  of  the  purest  and  sweetest  things  in  the 
world.  But  it  would  be  rather  difficult  to  get  a  sweet  kiss  from  a 
great  many  men,  who  seem  to  think  tobacco  is  much  sweeter,  and 
so  render  their  mouths  and  lips  more  disgusting  than  that  of  a  hog. 
And  there  are  plenty  of  women  from  whom  a  kiss  would  not  be 
very  sweet  either,  judging  from  the  odor  of  their  breath. 

There  is  considerable  kissing  between  women,  however,  prac- 
ticed through  mere  politeness,  habit,  affectation  or  fashion.  And 
it  has  considerable  of  the  Judas  taint  about  it,  for  young  women 
will  kiss  each  other  when,  perhaps,  they  have  more  hate  than  love 
in  their  hearts.  They  will  kiss  on  the  streets,  at  parties,  in  public 
assemblies,  in  the  sanctuary,  in  fact,  anywhere  and  everywhere,  and 
then  go  off  and  back-bite,  and  tell  each  other's  secrets  and  confi- 
dences. They  would  not  kiss  a  gentleman  on  any  condition,  unless 
engaged  to  him.  It  would  not  be  modest  to  do  so,  but  they  deem 
it  quite  modest  to  kiss  an  acquaintance  of  their  own  sex,  out  of 
mere  pretense,  just  to  show  off,  and  at  the  same  time  preach  a 
short  sermon  to  the  gentlemen,  viz.:  "Whatever  ye  would  th^t 
others  shoyld  dp  unto  you,  do  ye  evep  so  yntp  them," 


SHAM  MODESTY.  ^^1 

According  to  a  newspaper  statement,  a  certain  female  lecturer 
stated  to  her  audience  that  a  younf^  lady  should  not  kiss  a  gentle- 
man, unless  she  was  engaged  to  him,  and  then  not  oftener  than 
once  a  month.  That  seems  to  me  too  much  like  reducing  kissing 
to  a  mathematical  science;  and  as  the  affections  are  the  farthest 
removed  from,  and  most  unlike  mathematics  of  anything  in  the 
world,  I  decidedly  object  to  reducing  that  fine  and  delightful  art 
to  any  such  arbitrary  rules.  I  feel  as  though  I  would  like  to  say 
something  on  this  important  and  much-abused  subject,  but  writing 
on  kissing  is  something  like  writing  on  love.  Some  years  ago,  I 
thought  I  would  write  some  verses  on  that  sweet,  soothing,  precious 
article  called  love;  but  after  I  had  written  one  verse,  I  concluded  I 
had  an  elephant  on  my  hands,  and  gave  it  up  in  despair.  There 
are  a  few  thoughts,  however,  I  would  like  to  offer  on  the  subject 
of  kissing.  In  the  first  place,  kissing  is  both  an  art  and  a  science 
(social  science).  There  is  an  art  in  doing  it,  and  a  science  in  the 
cause  or  nature  and  use  of  kisses.  I  question  if  there  are  more 
than  two  or  three  men  out  of  fifty  who  know  how  to  kiss,  but 
there  are  plenty  who  know  how  to  slobber.  Women  are  by  far  the 
sweetest,  prettiest  and  most  graceful  kissers,  especially  when  their 
hearts  are  in  tune  with  their  lips.  Rut  the  average  man  drops 
down  on  a  woman's  mouth  and  snatches  a  kiss  as  though  he  were 
trying  to  catch  a  chicken  or  grab  a  frog.  Kissing  is  something  like 
eating  in  one  respect:  it  should  never  be  done  in  a  hurry.  Smack- 
ing is  not  kissing;  there  is  no  soul-magnetism,  no  rushing  oi  the 
two  spirits  together,  in  catching  a  woman  schoolboy-fashion,  and 
stealing  it  in  any  way  you  can  get  it.  There  may  be  some  fun  and 
exercise  about  such  performances,  as  usually  occur  on  picnic  days, 
but  there  is  no  soul  satisfaction  about  it. 

Tony,  sham-modest  persons  who  go  to  picnics,  will  stand  by 
and  watch  the  partici[)ants  of  a  kissing  game  with  a  sort  of  jealous 
contempt,  but  would  have  no  objections  if  they  could  kiss  or  be 
kissed  on  the  sly,  behind  the  door,  in  the  corner,  or  in  some  room 
secluded  from  the  gaze  of  others.  As  to  the  view  taken  by  some, 
that  a  young  lady  should  never  i?idulge  in  kissing  until  married,  or 
at  least  engaged,  I  consider  it  a  species  of  false  modesty,  or  false 
teaching  at  any  rate,  for  it  is  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature.  Where 
the  affections  are  well  developed,  kissing  is  as  natural  as  breathing; 
and  if  the  moral  character  is  good,  and  the  social  nature  has  been 


208  SHAM  MODESTY. 

properly  educated,  should  be  as  pure  as  the  air  we  breathe.  What 
is  kissing  but  the  breathing  of  the  affections  of  the  heart?  The 
lips  are  really  the  lungs  of  the  affections.  Tennyson  beautifully 
expresses  that  when  he  says: 

"And  our  spirits  rushed  together 
At  the  touching  of  the  lips." 

But  there  are  some  people  with  cold  natures,  or  rigid,  cast-iron 
ideas,  who  would  have  us  believe  that  kissing  is  an  act  that  should 
be  regulated  by  marriage  laws,  just  the  same  as  passion  is;  but  the 
desire  for  kissing  is  a  higher  and  nobler  impulse  than  passion.  It 
occupies  a  higher  place  in  the  affections,  because  tiie  desire  for  or 
love  of  it  springs  from  the  organ  of  conjugality,  which  is  higher 
up  in  the  brain  than  amativeness.  If  the  feelings  of  pcoj)le  were 
properly  educated  on  this  subject,  and  there  was  no  sham  moilcsty 
existing,  kissing  might  be  more  generally  practiced  with  far  less 
harm  than  it  often  is.  The  idea  that  women  can  kiss  cat«5  and  dogs 
(as  I  have  seen  them  do),  but  not  men,  seems  to  me  rather  absurd. 
And  the  woman  who  can  lavish  her  affections  and  kisses  on  the 
rat-catching  mouth  of  a  cat  is  hardly  fit  to  kiss  a  decent  man  .iny- 
how.  Such  actions  go  to  show  the  natural  impulse  and  desire 
there  is  in  human  nature  to  kiss  whatever  object  it  likes,  like  the 
small,  bright,  affectionate  little  boy  I  saw  at  the  seashore,  who  was 
just  running  over  with  animal  spirits,  and  picking  up  the  cat  one 
day,  he  said:  "I  want  to  kiss  her  right  square  in  the  mouth."  Now 
to  say  that  a  boy  with  an  affectionate  nature  as  he  had,  after  he 
becomes  a  young  man,  is  not  fit  to  kiss  a  young  lady  unless  en- 
gaged to  her,  is  something  like  trying  to  smother  a  man  to  death 
before  his  time  comes  to  die.  It  is  just  such  nonsensical  -society 
rules  as  this,  that  make  young  girls  and  men  with  warm  n.itures 
in  such  a  desperate  hurry  to  get  married.  And  I  have  no  doubt 
but  young  men  have  become  engaged  to  these  prudish  young 
women,  who  will  neither  kiss  nor  be  kissed  until  a  promise  of  mar- 
riage is  made,  just  for  the  sake  of  more  social  freedom,  without 
ever  intending  to  fulfill  their  promises.  Some  men  who  have  easy 
consciences,  are  very  accommodating  to  young  women  with  old- 
maidish  notions;  and  if  it  was  necessary  to  get  engaged  to  have 
full  social  enjoyment  with  such  an  one,  they  would  do  so.  ami  then 
break  it  off  and  leave  the  woman  heart-broken,  whenever  ihey  saw 
another  woman  they  really  wanted  to  marry. 


ST!AM    MODESTY.  20C 

If  kissing^  girls,  however,  was  not  attended  with  more  pleasure 
than  I  received  when  trying  it  several  years  ago,  there  would  not 
be  much  of  it  done.  I  was  acquainted  with  a  good-looking  young 
lady,  having  beautiful  eyes  and  lips;  and  in  my  youthful  day- 
dreams I  thought  to  myself  that  the  bliss  of  kissing  those  ruby  lips 
would  be  almost  equal  to  passing  through  the  gates  of  Paradise. 
So  with  her  consent  I  tried  it,  but  I  can  assure  my  reader  one  or 
two  applications  were  quite  sufficient.  Her  breath  was  too  strong, 
I  could  not  stand  it.  The  sense  of  smell  overcame  the  sense  of 
feeling.  There  was  no  rushing  together  of  spirits,  as  Tennyson 
ex])resses  it;  my  spirit  rushed  back  to  its  inner  chamber  and  very 
soon  cooled  down.  Pretty  soon  afterward,  she  wanted  to  know 
what  made  me  so  cool,  and  why  I  did  not  talk  more.  I  replied,  *'I 
do  not  feel  like  talking."  She  insisted  on  knowing  what  the  matter 
was.  I  told  her  I  did  not  like  to  tell  her;  but  she  would  not  take 
No  for  an  answer.  Said  I:  "Will  you  promise  me  faithfully  you 
will  not  take  offense  if  I  do."  No,  she  certainly  would  not.  "Well," 
said  I,  "your  breath  is  strong  enough  to  knock  a  man  over."  She 
said  her  mother  had  told  her  that  her  breath  was  not  as  sweet  as  it 
might  be;  but  notwithstanding  her  mother  and  I  agreed,  she  broke 
her  promise,  became  mad  and  mortified,  and  took  the  first  street- 
car for  home.  A  day  or  two  afterward  she  sent  me  a  note,  stating 
she  thought  it  was  time  for  our  acquaintance  to  cease  (no  engage- 
ment 04-  even  courtship  in  this  case),  and  that  I  was  not  half  as  nice 
as  she  thought  I  was.  That  was  just  what  I  thought  about  her, 
and  1  was  very  glad  to  get  such  a  note.  But  she  soon  changed 
her  mind,  went  to  the  dentist  and  had  her  teeth  pulled  out,  but  not 
her  bad  breath,  and  then  came  round  again.  But  I  felt  I  had  had 
enough.  I  w^as  something  like  the  preacher  who  had  rabbit  at  a 
certain  place  so  often  for  dinner  that  he  was  completely  sick  of  it. 
So  one  day,  being  asked  to  say  grace,  he  responded  in  language 
similar  to  the  following:  "We  thank  thee.  Lord,  for  the  bounties 
of  thy  Providence,  and  for  all  the  blessings  we  receive;  but  for 
rabbits  hot  and  rabbits  cold,  for  rabbits  young  and  rabbits  old, 
for  rabbits  tender  and  rabbits  tough,  we  think,  O  Lord,  we've 
had  enough." 

My  next  experience  in  kissing  was  with  a  young  lady  who  had 
painted  her  lips.  They  looked  so  red  and  tempting  that  I  felt 
constrained  to  try  it  once  more.     Juffis"^  it  to  say  it  wi^  ^^e  most 


210  SHAM    MODESTY. 

tasty  kiss  I  ever  had,  for  I  could  taste  it  and  smell  it  an  hour  or 
two  afterward.  In  fact,  I  could  not  get  rid  of  it  till  I  went  and 
washed  my  face.  Then  I  thought  of  the  experience  of  a  lady  in  a 
boarding-house  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  description  she  gave  of  a 
young  lady  friend  of  Hers,  who  was  in  the  habit  (as  many  are)  of 
painting  her  lips.  She  said  that  whenever  she  kissed  her  she 
could  taste  the  coloring  afterward;  and,  said  she,  "You  ought  to 
see  her  eat  oysters."  Then  opening  her  mouth  and  raising  her 
hand,  she  showed  how  the  girl  would  twist  an  Oyster  round  to  get 
it  in  without  touching  her  painted  lips.  Finally  I  began  to  wonder 
why  it  was  I  had  such  unpleasant  experiences  and  bad  luck  in 
kissing,  for  even  the  poor  oysters  seemed  to  be  more  fortunate  in 
gliding  round  a  woman's  lips  than  I  was.  It  was  a  perplexing 
puz^zle  to  me,  and  I  never  could  solve  the  question  till  I  went  into 
a  lunatic  asylum  some  years  afterward,  and  a  crazy  colored  woman 
told  me,  or  remarked  as  I  passed  by,  that  I  was  too  sweet  for  any- 
thing! I  began  to  think  there  was  more  truth  than  poetry  in  that 
remark,  and  that  probably  I  had  been  a  little  too  aesthetic  in  my  taste 
— had  been  looking  for  an  angel  to  kiss,  and  had  forgotten  there  were 
no  angels  in  this  world  in  human  form.  But  all  at  once  the  advice- 
of  a  female  lecturer  to  a  portion  of  her  audience  flashed  across  my 
mind.  Said  she:  "Get  married,  young  men,  get  married;  do  not 
wait  for  the  girls  to  be  angels.  You  would  look  well  beside  angels, 
wouldn't  you,  you  brutes!"  So  I  concluded  it  was  folly  to  be  too 
particular  in  this  sin-cursed  world,  and  the  next  time  I  took  a 
young  lady  friend  home,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  have  one  more 
trial;  for  I  had  been  taught  in  my  childhood  the  old  adage,  "If  at 
first  you  do  n't  succeed,  try,  try  again,"  and  I  saw  no  reason  why 
it  should  not  be  applied  to  kissing  as  well  as  to  anything  else.  I 
was  determined,  however,  not  to  be  fooled  with  bad  breath  and 
painted  lips  any  more.  Because  I  do  not  believe  in  kissing  for  the 
same  reason  the  old  Romans  did,  who  never  kissed  their  wives 
except  as  an  excuse  to  smell  their  breath  and  ascertain  if  they  had 
been  drinking.  Hence,  being  positive  my  lady  friend  had  a  sweet 
breath  and  clean  lips,  I  congratulated  myself  on  the  pleasure  of  a 
sweet,  good-night  kiss;  so  arriving  at  the  house  and  entering  the 
hall,  I  asked  her  if  she  was  ready  to  receive  the  good-night  bene- 
diction. She  said  she  did  not  exactly  understand  what  that  was. 
'*Well/'  said  I,  "will  you  periDJt  me  to  instruct  you?"     She  coolly 


SHAM   MODESTY.  211 

4ssented,  and  I  made  the  attempt  to  bestow  the  blessing,  but  the 
light  in  the  hall  had  gone  out,  and  I  could  not  see  very  well,  and 
her  lips  were  so  thin  and  her  mouth  so  small  (which  accounted  for 
her  being  so  cool)  that  I  could  not  for  the  life  of  me  tell  where  to 
kiss,  and  just  went  bobbing  and  gliding  around  her  face  from  one 
place  to  another,  like  a  hungry  mosquito  trying  to  find  out  where 
to  bite.  At  last  I  cried  out  in  despair,  "Susan,  have  you  not  got  any 
lips?"  "Not  for  kissing,"  said  she.  I  believed  her,  and  started  for 
home,  having  no  desire  to  give  thanks  and  ask  for  another,  as  the 
over-modest  preacher  did  who  had  been  courting  a  lady  some 
years  and  had  never  ventured  to  kiss  her.  He  was  an  exception, 
of  course,  to  the  average  preacher,  but  eventually  he  remarked  one 
evening  to  his  sweetheart  that  he  had  learned  that  young  people  who 
were  keeping  company  occasionally  kissed  each  other,  and  would  she 
have  any  objection. <*  "Certainly  not,"  was  the  prompt  reply  (for  I  pre- 
sume the  poor  creature  had  been  waiting  for  and  expecting  it  two 
or  three  years).  Then  saluting  her  in  true  Christian  fashion,  and 
remembering  his  calling  at  the  same  time,  and  that  all  acts  should 
be  accompaniejd  with  prayer,  and  receive  the  sanction  of  heaven, 
said  he,  "Let  us  return  thanks,  and  take  another."  But,  alas,  I 
could  not  conscientiously  do  that,  because  I  received  nothing  to 
return  thanks  for.  I  did  not  get  even  the  shadow  of  a  kiss,  and  as 
I  walked  home  I  felt  more  like  praying,  "Lord,  make  women  with 
mouths  fit  to  kiss,  or  else  remodel  me."  My  advice  in  a  condensed 
form  to  all  who  wish  to  kiss  or  be  kissed  in  a  proper  manner  is,  be 
sure  you  find  a  person  with  a  sweet  breath,  and  lips  that  are  clean 
and  healthy,  and  full  enough  to  receive  the  impression.  For  I  can 
assure  the  reader  that  there  are  a  large  number  of  people  in  the 
world  who  do  not  enjoy  kissing,  and  a  still  greater  number  who 
are  neither  fit  to  kiss  nor  be  kissed. 

Another  absurd  and  unhealthy  habit  of  kissing  with  women, 
which  is  even  worse  and  more  stupid  than  the  cat  and  dog  business, 
is  the  kissing  of  dead  folks.  What  possible  pleasure  can  there  be 
to  a  living  person  to  perform  such  an  act.?  and  as  far  as  the  dead 
are  concerned,  they  might  as  well  kiss  a  bed-post;  and  as  far  as 
their  own  health  is  concerned,  it  would  be  much  better  for  them  to 
do  so.  I  heard  of  one  woman  who  got  the  small-pox  by  kissing  a 
man  who  died  with  it.  She  was  probably  more  anxious  to  kiss  him 
after  he  was  dead  than  when  he  was  living.    I  cannot  speak  posi- 


^v2  mAU  uomsn, 

lively,  but  1  believe  there  are  plenty  of  marrfed  people  who  do  tioi 
kiss  each  other  from  one  year's  end  to  the  other.  Where  there  is 
little  love  there  is  little  kissing;  but  where  there  is  much  love  there 
will  be  proportionately  much  kissing.  And  I  should  certainly  think 
it  a  little  more  sensible  to  kiss  living  men  than  corpses,  cats,  dogs, 
and  persons  of  their  own  sex,  as  the  women  do,  just  for  pretense  and 
display.  And  that  man  or  woman  who  has  no  taste  or  desire  to 
kiss  or  be  kissed,  is  lacking  in  the  development  of  the  affectional 
nature;  such  a  person  is  not  well  balanced  in  the  social  character,  is 
deficient  in  the  organ  of  conjugality  and  a  warm,  confiding  nature. 

But  the  trouble  is,  the  social  nature  of  young  people  is  not 
properly  educated.  We  have  schools  and  colleges  to  tea^h  almost 
everything  else,  but  none  to  properly  instruct  young  men  and 
women  how  to  use,  develop,  give  vent  to  or  restrain  the  natural 
promptings  of  the  heart.  Were  this  done,  most  of  the  flirtation, 
prostitution  and  dissipation,  yea,  even  crimes,  that  now  ^:urse  the 
world,  would  not  exist.  The  affections  are  like  rivers,  and  you 
cannot  dam  them  up.  And  if  they  do  not  empty  into  the  ocean 
of  life  through  the  right  channel,  they  will,  most  assure(>^f,  »un  in 
the  wrong  channel 


HUMAN  SPIRITS.  GOOD  AND    BAD. 


Oppctsites  ■  Law  of  Nature— This  tame  Law  Applies  to  Haman  Spirits — Kindred  Spirits 
Flock  Together  and  Corrupt  each  other-  What  a  Man  Soweth  that  shall  he  also 
Reap — Incident  to  Illustrate  the  Fear  of  Guilt — Three  Things  to  Notice  in  Connec- 
tion with  Spirits— Their  Uirth,  Looks  and  Doings — Evil  Hereditary  in  a  Large 
Measure— Some  Spirits  are  Born  Bad — Some  Become  Bad  through  Evil  Association 
—Some  through  Defective  Education — Low  Theaters — Filthy  Conversation — Bad 
Company — The  Case  of  a  Young  Lady  in  Canada  — Good  Spirits  are  Born  and 
Raised  through  Good  Parents  and  the  right  kind  of  Education — The  Trouble  with 
the  Majority  of  Schools — Evil  Spirits  are  Forever  Doing  Something  to  Curse  Man- 
kind— Three  ways  of  Showing  up  Character — By  Action,  Voice  and  Expression — 
The  Influence  of  a  Selfish  Nature  does  not  last  long— Every  Man  the  Architect  of 
his  own  Character-  Hot  Sinners  and  Cold  Sinners — Illustrations  of  both  Kinds — 
Young  Lady  in  California — Piano  Tuner — How  to  tell  whether  one's  own  Spirit  is 
Good  or  Bad— A  Man's  Face  the  Picture  of  his  Soul  Different  Kinds  of  Wicked 
ness  Produce  Different  Kinds  of  F'acial  Expression — Good  and  Bad  Souls  can  be 
Felt  as  well  as  Seen — The  Triune  Method  of  Reading  Character— Phrenology, 
Physiognomy  and  Psychology — The  Electrical  Power  Thrown  off  by  Persons  and 
Audiences — Illustrations  of  this — How  Bad  Spirits  can  be  Detected — Blonde  and 
Brunette  Wickedness  or  Goodness — The  Human  Family,  as  a  whole.  Resembles 
the  St&rry  FirmamenL 


There  sie  some  spirits,  sweet  and  pare. 

Whose  holy  fragrance  fills  the  earth. 
While  others  seem  but  to  allure, 

With  subtle  arts  to  sin  and  death. 

Opposites  seem  to  be  a  law  of  nature,  and  in  the  moral  world 
there  are  two  great  opposites,  the  good  and  the  bad.  In  regard  to 
the  philosophy  of  evil,  its  origin,  and  the  reason  why  it  was  permit- 
ted to  show  its  hideous  form  in  this  beautiful  world  of  ours,  I  shall 
not  attempt  to  offer  any  theories;  but  proceed  to  draw  a  contrast 
between  the  two  forces,  good  and  evil,  as  manifested  in  their  modi- 
fied forms  in  human  life  and  conduct. 

It  is  not  many  years  after  birth  before  the  spirit  of  an  individual 
gives  signs  and  evidences  of  its  natural  character  and  tendencies. 
The  very  looks,  as  well  as  language  and  actions  of  children,  reveal 
what  is  within  them.  Water  will  run  no  higher  than  its  own  level, 
tifikus  forced,  neither  will  the  soul  rise  above  its  natural  mornl 


214  mm  An  sFfRrfs.  aood  ajt©  bab. 

level,  unless  it  be  lifted  up  by  the  power  of  external  Influence  and 
education.  For  this  reason,  children,  not  bein^  inwardly  restrained 
or  constrained  by  that  kind  of  knowledge  which  comes  from  years 
of  experience  and  instruction,  generally  give  vent  to  their  feelings 
and  impulses,  and  if  left  to  themselves,  they  will  act  out  their 
natural  or  inherited  dispositions. 

The  diversity  of  dispositions  in  youth  must  be  apparent  to  every 
observer,  and  they  can  easily  be  divided  into  two  classes,  the  good 
and  the  bad.  School  teachers  soon  learn  the  bent  of  a  pupil's  mind: 
one  is  full  of  mischief  and  nonsense;  another  is  perverse  and  disa- 
greeable, hard  to  manage,  or  to  do  anything  with;  another  is  lazy 
and  indifferent;  while  still  another  is  docile,  amiable,  and  thoughtful 
—  the  teacher's  pride  and  joy. 

The  good  spirit  in  childhood  is  easily  controlled  and  readily 
responds  to  good  and  higher  influences.  The  bad  spirit  is  not  only 
troublesome,  but  a  constant  burden  to  whosoever  has  the  training 
of  it;  and  like  as  the  twig  is  bent,  will  the  tree  be  formed,  so  as  the 
youthful  mind  is  inclined,  will  the  character  be  fixed,  unless  changed 
by  culture.  As  the  snowball  gathers  and  enlarges  as  it  is  pushed 
along  the  path,  so  spirits  good  and  bad  grow  better  or  worse,  as 
the  years  of  their  existence  roll  on.  What  seemed  but  a  little  mole- 
hill of  sin  in  the  child,  becomes  a  mountain  of  iniquity  in  the  adult. 
Silently  but  surely  the  forces  of  evil  corrupt  the  passions  and  trans- 
form the  soul  from  good  to  bad,  and  from  the  image  of  its  Creator 
to  that  of  its  master,  the  Devil.  Spirits  good  and  bad  surround  us 
on  every  hand;  they  gaze  into  our  faces  wherever  we  go,  and  im- 
press us  with  their  good  or  evil  influences  and  motives.  The  one 
inspires  us  with  noble  thoughts  and  desires,  the  other  insinuates 
distrust  and  unholy  thoughts;  the  one  soothes  and  comforts  us,  the 
other  suggests  and  bewilders;  the  one  is  like  an  aroma  of  sweetness, 
the  other  is  like  an  offensive  effluvia;  the  one  we  love,  the  other  we 
dislike.  Our  likes  and  dislikes,  however,  will  depend  upon  what 
we  are  ourselves;  if  our  own  spirits  are  good,  we  will  love  the  good; 
but  if  evil  we  will  love  the  bad.  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together, 
and  kindred  spirits  will  be  attracted  to  each  other,  whether  good 
or  bad.  Society  runs  in  classes  and  cliques,  from  that  of  the  boot- 
black to  that  of  the  president  or  king  upon  his  throne.  No  matter 
bow  cold  the  day  boot-blacks  in  our  large  cities  will  congregate  on 
the  corners  of  the  priocipal  streets  in  groups  from  two  upwards, 


xS'y 


PETER   COOPER. 


An  honest  face,  and  a  plain, unassuming,  practical,  common-sense,  good-natured  soul. 
He  has  the  oblong  face.  The  eye  expresses  goodness,  tenderness  of  feeling  and  sympathy. 
The  mouth  expresses  a  pleasant  disposition,  an  affectionate  nature.  His  successful  busi« 
ness  career,  and  unselfish,  generous  nature,  has  made  his  name  a  household  word.  The 
expression  of  the  face,  as  a  whole,  is  a  good  illustration  of  what  I  call  Religious  Nature' 
which  is  defined  among  the  phrenological  organs  in  the  latter  part  of  this  book. 


<.v^ 


An  American  General,  whose  name  I  do  not  know  —  one  of  the  early  Indian  fighters. 
Observe  how  high  the  fore  part  of  the  head  is,  and  its  sloping  toward  the  back,  which 
ipdicates  a  sympathetic  nature  and  strong  liberal  sentiments,  that  frequently  incline  a 
man  to  the  Universalist  or  Unitarian  belief.  When  the  head  is  much  higher  in  the  rear 
than  in  the  top  part,  the  individual  is  more  inclined  to  a  set,  stationary  and  orthodox  form 
of  religion;  that  is,  providing  he  or  she  becomes  religious.  The  whole  face  is  expressive 
of  kindness  and  goodness,  with  a  fine  and  energetic  mind. 


HUMAN   SPIRITS,    GOOD    ANi>   BAD.  2\J 

even  though  they  may  wrangle  and  quarrel  half  the  time.  There 
seems  to  be  a  common  bond  of  union  that  instinctively  draws  them 
together,  however  much  they  may  oppose  each  other  in  their  busi- 
ness or  feelings.  They  become  kindred  spirits  in  their  mode  of  life, 
aims,  tastes,  and  desires.  In  like  manner  there  is  a  sympathy  be- 
tween wicked  spirits,  because  their  natures  are  similar,  even  though 
they  may  dislike  each  other  in  some  respects;  and  they  will  even 
love  a  wicked  place  better  than  a  good  place,  because  it  is  more 
congenial.     Like  loves  like. 

Whoever  heard  of  a  bad  man  or  woman  enjoying  a  prayer-meet- 
ing I  Talk  about  hell!  It  would  be  hell  on  earth  to  a  really  bad 
man  to  compel  him  to  go  to  a  prayer-meeting.  Five  minutes  in 
such  a  place  would  seem  Ifke  five  hours.  He  could  sit  on  a  picket 
fence  and  watch  a  game  of  base-ball  or  a  horse-race  for  a  whole 
hour,  much  easier  than  he  could  sit  on  a  cushioned  seat  in  a  prayer- 
meeting  for  a  few  minutes.  Yes,  he  could  be  contented  in  an 
uncomfortable  seat  watching  some  worldly  sport,  but  sit  him  down 
to  listen  to  something  sacred,  or  perhaps  condemnatory  of  his  life 
and  character,  and  he  would  wriggle  all  over  the  seat  —  the  most 
uneasy  and  restless  mortal  you  ever  saw.  Like  a  young  man  I 
remember,  who  boarded  where  I  did  once.  He  was  nice  and 
attractive  in  some  respects,  but  decidedly  fast.  He  was  anxious 
to  get  me  into  a  billiard  hall  and  similar  places,  and  I  was  equally 
as  anxious  to  get  him  into  a  Sunday-school.  One  Sabbath  after- 
noon I  succeeded  in  getting  him  to  go  to  a  Sabbath-schooL  I 
managed  to  keep  him  there  long  enough  to  listen  to  the  singing 
of  the  opening  exercises;  but  he  was  out  of  his  sphere  and  social 
element,  and  would,  no  doubt,  have  felt  more  at  home  in  a  pen- 
itentiary. 

Bad  people  cannot  endure  the  society  of  good  people  in  this  life 
and  world;  the  two  cannot  associate  and  form  companionships  any 
more  than  oil  and  water  can  be  united.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  bad 
people  all  expect  or  hope  to  get  to  heaven  where  the  good,  whose 
society  the  wicked  cannot  endure  on  earth,  alone  can  go.  What 
kind  of  a  heaven  or  hell  would  that  be  with  a  mixture  of  good  and 
evil  spirits  through  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity  ? 

The  life  and  character  of  a  person  is  determined  to  a  great 
extent  by  the  kind  of  spirits  he  has  come  in  contact  with,  and  been 
influenced   by,  especially  in  his   youthful   days.     Mind  acts  upon 


2iS  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

mind,  either  for  good  or  evil,  and  we  are  so  marvelously  suscepti- 
ble  to  mental  impressions,  that  unconsciously  we  become  psychol- 
ogised  or  soul-influenced  even  by  individuals  of  little  power  and 
capacity.  It  becomes  us,  therefore,  to  know  for  our  own  good  and 
protection  the  character  of  the  spirits  that  seek  to  impress  us,  or 
become  our  acquaintances  and  associates.  We  cannot  afford  to  be 
spiritually  blind,  either  to  our  own  spiritual  nature  or  that  of  others; 
for  not  merely  the  present,  but  eternal  life  and  happiness  hang  upon 
this  question  of  soul-influence.  To  know  and  discern  the  good  and 
the  bad,  then,  is  the  paramount  duty  of  all;  and  to  aid  us  in  dis- 
criminating between  the  two,  the  Almighty  has  portrayed  and  fixed 
the  character  of  every  soul  upon  its  physical  form,  especially  the 
face.  In  other  words,  he  has  given  to  us  the  science  of  physiog- 
nomy which,  like  a  mirror,  faithfully  reflects  the  likeness  or  charac- 
ter that  is  thrown  upon  it.  Thoughts  first  stamp  themselves  upon 
the  soul,,  which  is  more  sensitive  than  the  body,  and  are  not  at  first 
fixed  upon  the  countenance;  but  as  some  writer  has  said,  "Time 
at  length  makes  all  things  even,"  so  the  thoughts  that  are  oft  re- 
peated and  cherished  in  the  heart  grow  into  mental  rivers  and  form 
for  themselves  channels,  which  constantly  coursing  through  the 
soul,  begin  through  the  electricity  of  the  body  to  act  upon  the  brain 
cells  and  nervous  system,  and  which  in  turn  acts  upon  the  muscles 
and  through  them  reaches  the  exterior  of  the  body,  and  become 
visible  to  the  naked  eye.  Thus  the  immaterial  is  brought  to  light 
through  the  material,  and  all  earthly  spirits  are  made  to  reveal  their 
hidden  characters.  As  there  are  wicked  and  ugly  souls,  so  there 
are  wicked  and  ugly  faces  which  become  all  the  more  hideous  as 
age  creeps  over  them.  They  never  ascend,  but  always  descend  in 
their  character  and  appearance.  It  is  not  in  the  nature  of  bad  and 
ugly  things  to  improve  or  progress,  but  rather  to  deteriorate  and 
go  down,  down,  down  I  There  are  good  and  lovely  souls  accompa- 
nied by  good  and  lovable  forms.  The  one  never  misrepresents  the 
other,  for  figs  do  not  grow  on  thorns  and  thistles;  neither  do  pure, 
good  looking  faces  grow  on  polluted  souls.  Nature  never  lies;  she 
is  ever  true  to  herself.  A  man's  tongue  may  lie,  but  his  face  never, 
no,  never  ! 

"  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap,**  is  as  true 
of  his  facial  expression  as  of  his  rewards  and  punishment.  Sad 
thought  for  the  evil-doer,  but  bright  and  joyous  for  the  pure  io 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  '2ig 

heart.  To  be  known  to  our  fellow  creatures  as  well  as  to  our 
Creator,  and  to  carry  on  our  faces  our  own  recommendations,  is  a 
comfort  and  a  blessing  to  all  right  thinking  and  acting  people.  But 
as  men  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  so  they  love  ignorance 
rather  than  knowledge;  and  it  is  this  class  of  people  who  would  fain 
hide  their  faces,  or  rather  the  language  written  on  them.  To  be 
known  to  others  as  they  know  themselves,  horrifies  and  enrages 
them,  and  they  naturally  shrink  from  the  acceptance  of  phrenolog- 
ical or  physiognomical  truth  as  a  thief  shrinks  from  the  camera  of  a 
photographer. 

Evil-doers  do  not  like  even  their  actions  criticised  or  observed, 
much  less  their  faces.  To  be  watched,  annoys  and  aggravates  them 
beyond  endurance.  Like  a  group  of  young  men  I  noticed  on  a 
street  corner  in  Chicago,  one  night.  Their  manner  indicated  some- 
thing wrong  as  to  their  characters  and  motives,  so  I  stood  on  the 
opposite  corner  and  watched  them  for  a  minute  or  two,  which  so 
excited  and  enraged  them  that  they  gave  vent  to  threatening  lan- 
guage. This  at  once  confirmed  my  opinion  of  them,  because  if  they 
had  been  good  and  peaceable  citizens,  they  would  have  taken  no 
notice  of  me,  and  would  not  even  have  imagined  themselves  being 
watched.  But  the  conscience  of  evil-doers,  designers,  plotters, 
and  schemers  (that  is,  if  it  is  not  dead)  terrifies  them,  and  makes 
them  suspicious  and  afraid  almost  of  their  own  shadows;  "for  the 
wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth,  but  the  righteous  are  as  bold 
as  a  lion." 

A  pick-pocket  was  standing  on  the  corner  of  a  prominent 
street  in  Philadelphia,  one  morning,  waiting,  I  suppose,  for  a  vic- 
tim, as  a  gentleman  who  used  to  be  a  detective  and  myself  passed 
along  on  the  other  side  of  the  street.  My  friend,  the  ex-detective, 
noticed  him  and  instantly  stopped  and  gave  him  a  sharp  and  search- 
ing look.  That  was  enough.  The  thief  saw  him,  and  quietly  but 
quickly  made  his  way  down  the  street.  My  acquaintance  remarked 
afterwards  that  he  could  easily  pick  out  those  characters,  and 
frighten  them  off  And  why,  let  me  ask,  could  he  so  readily  recog- 
nize those  characters  from  others  without  personally  knowing  them.? 
1  reply,  because  there  was  something  in  their  looks  and  actions  that 
indicated  just  what  they  were.  There  was  no  other  earthly  way  by 
which  he  or  anybody  else  could  distinguish  them  from  others  but 
by  their  manner  and  appeiyraace. 


r/0  mmAf9  snnm,  aoet)  Afm  baa. 

It  was  the  external  manifestation  of  their  character  that  made 

them  conspicuous,  and  it  is  this  visible  manifestation  of  character 
in  face,  form,  and  manner,  that  makes  us  all  like  or  dislike  every 
stranger  we  meet;  and  if  it  were  not  for  this  fact  that  every  soul 
reveals  its  character  through  the  body,  I  do  not  see  why  everybody 
should  not  look  alike  or  very  nearly  so  (because  it  is  a  law  in 
nature  that  the  more  perfect  any  species  is,  the  greater  its  variety). 
We  find  as  great  a  variety  of  dispositions  and  characters,  as  we 
do  bodies  and  faces;  and  wherever  we  find  similar  forms  we  also 
discover  characters  which  are  similar;  thus  form  and  character  are 
inseparably  connected,  the  one  cannot  exist  without  the  other. 

There  are  three  things  I  wish  to  notice  and  contrast  in  good 
and  bad  spirits,  viz.:  their  birth,  looks  and  doings.  Bad  spirits  are 
begotten  through  the  bad  thoughts  and  habits  of  their  parents,  and 
good  spirits  through  the  good  thoughts  and  habits  of  their  parents. 
Like  begets  like;  purity  produces^  purity;  love  excites  love;  and 
wickedness  brings  forth  nothing  but  wickedness.  And  as  murder 
will  out,  or  come  to  light;  as  love  will  reveal  itself  like  the  light  of 
the  sun,  so  evil  natures  will  be  made  manifest  in  succeeding  gener- 
ations. The  rising  generation  is  the  moral  photograph  of  the 
preceding  one;  it  is  the  past  reflected  on  the  horizon  of  the  future, 
and  the  great  mistake  of  mankind  is  in  living  only  for  themselves 
and  the  present,  thoughtless  of  the  future,  and  the  generation  to 
come  after  them.  Self-gratification  is  the  great  adversary  of  future 
happiness;  it  deals  only  with  the  present,  being  indifferent  to  the 
past  and  unconscious  about  the  future;  hence  it  is  that  men  rush 
heedlessly  along  the  pathway  of  life,  and  plunge  into  matrimonial 
relationship  with  never  a  thought  as  to  what  will  be  the  result  of 
their  conduct.  Then  blinded  by  passion  and  lust  they  rock  their 
sinful  souls  in  the  cradle  of  self-indulgence,  and  when  in  after  years 
the  living  objects  of  their  folly  stare  them  in  the  face,  they  are 
startled,  and  in  wonder  and  amazement  ask.  How  can  these  things 
be?  The  middle-aged  as  well  as  young  men  and  women  who  sow 
their  wild  oats,  may  rest  assured  that  their  sins  will  find  them  out. 
They  may  keep  and  cherish  their  evil  thoughts  and  purposes  to 
themselves,  and  conce^il  from  their  neighbors  their  bad  practices, 
but  nature  will  some  day  stamp  them  on  the  souls  of  their  children, 
and  engrave  them  upon  their  faces.  The  guilty  shall  not  go  un- 
oimished;  they  and  their  cbildreo  will  bear  the  mark  of  sin  upon 


tfiem,  just  as  surely  a§  did  Cain  and  the  descendants  of  Mam.  The 
Almighty  has  declared  that  he  will  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generations.  Do  you 
ask  me  for  proof?  Look  around  you  and  all  over  the  land,  and 
behold  the  diseased,  enfeebled,  suffering,  sin-cursed  specimens  of 
humanity  that  abound  everywhere  !  Then  look  into  the  faces  of  the 
thousands  you  meet,  and  observe  the  dull,  stupid,  ignorant,  idiotic, 
insane,  fast,  licentious,  and  God-forsaken  look  that  many  of  them 
hang  out  upon  their  countenances,  and  tell  me  if  the  soul  does  not 
cast  its  image  upon  the  face,  and  the  parent  transmit  his  character 
to  the  unborn  child.  I  assert  and  think  the  world  proves  it,  that  a 
large  proportion,  perhaps  the  largest,  of  unclean  spirits  that  infest 
society,  have  inherited  their  evil  natures  from  their  parents  or 
great  grand  parents;  that  they  are  born  into  this  world  with  a 
polluted,  corrupted,  and  devilish  nature  —  one  that  is  extremely 
susceptible  to  evil,  but  not  to  good;  and  one  that  will  gradually 
develop  itself  with  the  growth  of  the  child.  Not  a  few,  however, 
»vho  would  naturally  incline  to  the  good  side  of  life,  were  their 
associations  good,  have  become  bad  through  the  influence  of  evil 
suggestions,  companions  and  temptations  that  have  constantly 
beset  them  on  every  hand.  Separated  perhaps  from  home  and 
moral  restraint,  they  have  gradually  weakened  and  yielded  to  the 
pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  them,  till  they  have  finally  gone 
down  into  the  slums  of  iniquity;  these  are  they  of  whom  there  is 
strong  hope  of  recovery  or  reclamation  when  brought  under  good 
influence.  But  I  have  seen  mere  children,  and  plenty  of  boys  and 
girls  show  such  depraved  traits  in  their  characters,  that  it  seemed 
to  me  no  kind  of  influence  or  training,  however  pernicious,  could 
have  developed  it  in  their  brief  life-time.  They  are  the  children 
who,  as  they  grow  up,  give  their  parents  a  world  of  trouble,  and 
perhaps  eventually  bring  their  gray  hairs  in  sorrow  to  the  grave 
years  before  their  natural  time.  Think  of  the  boys  and  girls  who 
run  away  from  home  that  they  may  avoid  all  restraint  and  dive 
headlong  into  sin,  or  what  they  consider  freedom  and  pleasure;  of 
the  army  of  young  criminals  that  are  brought  into  the  police  court; 
of  young  girls,  mere  children,  accosting  men  on  the  streets  and 
off*ering  to  fornicate  with  them  for  money  I  I  was  requested  by  a 
mother  to  examine  the  head  of  her  little  girl,  who  possessed  a  spirit 
quite  different  from  those  I  have  just  described.    She  had  been 


222  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

living  in  a  block  where  other  families  resided,  and  her  girl  had  seen 
and  heard  things  from  other  children  that  shocked  her  modesty, 
and  were  offensive  to  her  purer  and  more  sensitive  nature,  and  it 
was  with  great  difficulty  her  mother  could  prevail  on  her  to  state 
to  herself  what  she  had  seen  and  heard.  She  told  of  one  little  girl 
in  particular,  living  opposite  to  her,  who  had  been  telling  about  her 
adventures  the  night  before,  and  expressed  herself  in  some  such 
language  as  the  following:  "Didn't  I  mash  the  fellows,  though?** 
Here,  then,  were  two  opposite  natures,  and  the  little  girl  whom  the 
mother  brought  to  me  illustrates  what  I  have  already  expressed: 
that  a  pure-minded  child  would  be  repelled,  disgusted  and  frightened 
at  the  mere  suggestion  or  sight  of  anything  sensual. 

The  tendency  to  lie,  deceive,  cheat,  steal,  flirt  and  murder  is 
also  hereditary,  and  will  be  manifested  early  in  life.  The  awful 
tempers  that  some  children  are  cursed  with  could  not  possibly  have 
been  developed  in  their  short  existence.  It  is  not  a  very  rare  thing 
to  hear  of  one  boy  shooting,  stabbing  or  killing  another.  While 
visiting  a  police  court  one  morning,  a  small  boy  was  brought  before 
the  magistrate  for  unmercifully  thrashing  another;  and  as  he  was 
so  very  small  and  young,  the  judge  was  perplexed  to  know  what  to 
do  with  him;  so  he  sent  him  to  his  cell  till  the  afternoon  in  order 
to  have  time  to  consider  his  case.  I  suggested  to  the  judge  that  I 
would  like  to  see  the  boy  and  examine  his  head.  "Very  well,"  said 
he, "the  captain  shall  bring  him  up  to  you."  I  examined  the  boy  and 
on  returning  to  the  court  room  the  magistrate  asked  me  what  I 
thought  of  him.  Said  I,  "Judge,  the  trouble  with  that  boy  is  he 
was  never  born  right,  and  his  parents  are  to  blame  for  what  he  is." 
On  another  occasion  there  were  two  boys  and  girls  brought  in  from 
a  bad  place,  all  found  in  bed  together  by  the  police  officer,  though  the 
girls  stoutly  denied  it.  They  were  too  young  to  have  lost  all  their 
modesty  and  developed  that  bad  nature  unless  licentiousness  had 
been  born  in  them,  and  modesty  left  out  of  them.  Their  very  looks 
betrayed  them;  not  only  of  the  girls,  but  also  of  the  boys.  I  fear, 
however,  many  people  of  over-modest  and  reserved  natures  who 
have  never  studied,  seen,  or  in  any  way  come  in  contact  with  the 
moral  corruption  that  exists  in  all  classes  and  ages  of  society,  will 
think  I  am  stating  things  too  strongly  and  coloring  them  too  high. 
But  I  am  not.  I  have  only  stated  the  bare  facts  without  the  slight- 
est exaggeration.    There  is  enough  truth  and  reality  pertaining  to 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  223 

the  subject  I  am  writing  on  without  drawing  on  my  imagination  to 
fill  out  the  picture,  and  the  reader  may  rest  assured  that  throughout 
all  my  writings  he  will  find  no  picture,  no  exaggerated  statements. 
There  is  too  much  fiction  in  the  world  already,  and  that  is  one 
reason  why  people  do  not  take  more  interest  in  facts,  and  know 
more  of  what  is  going  on  around  them  in  every-day  life.  To  live 
as  thousands  do  in  a  world  of  sentimentalism,  and  ignore  the  stern 
realities  that  meet  them  and  stare  them  in  the  face  wherever  they 
go,  is  a  sad  mistake,  and  one  of  the  reasons  why  so  much  evil 
abounds  and  so  many  evil  spirits  are  left  to  pursue,  unmolested  in 
many  cases,  their  devilish  deeds. 

I  have  already  intimated  that  good  spirits  may  become  bad 
through  the  force  of  circumstances  and  improper  education.  There 
are  good  parents  who  are  really  doing  the  very  thing  to  make  their 
children  bad.  Many  a  son  and  daughter  have  been  driven  from  his 
or  her  home  by  the  cold,  rigid,  formal,  exacting  and  over-religious 
discipline  of  parental  authority,  which  has  made  their  lives  as  miser- 
able as  though  they  were  shut  up  in  a  penitentiary.  And  when  they 
do  break  loose  from  home  restraint,  and  breathe  the  air  of  freedom, 
many  of  them,  not  knowing  how  to  use  what  they  have  never  had, 
but  often  wished  for,  run  into  dissipation  and  perhaps  do  something 
to  put  them  under  the  restraint  of  the  law.  Then,  having  once 
been  humiliated  by  arrest  and  imprisonment,  they  lose  self-respect 
and  feel  that  nobody  cares  for  them,  but  rather  that  everybody  is 
against  them.  Then,  in  a  fit  of  mental  depression  and  desperation, 
they  fall  into  a  life  of  worthlessness,  dissipation  and  crime.  That 
is  about  the  course  a  young  man  would  be  apt  to  take;  while  a 
young  woman  would  elope  or  marry  the  first  man  she  could;  or 
still  worse,  find  her  way  to  a  house  whose  steps  take  hold  on  helL 
Some  parents  are  constantly  opposing  the  desires,  tastes  and  am- 
bition of  their  children.  They  want  to  do  one  thing,  and  their 
parents  insist  on  their  doing  something  else;  and  thus  oppose, 
I  hinder  and  keep  them  back  in  the  accomplishment  of  their  purpose 
;  in  life.  What  an  army  of  young  men  have  had  their  prospects  and 
\  chances  in  life  blasted  by  the  injudicious  and  stubborn  opposition 
of  their  parents;  or  it  may  be  their  unwillingness  to  assist  them 
financially  in  preparing  themselves  to  start  on  the  road  to  pros- 
perity. The  unperverted  taste  of  young  people  will  go  a  long  way 
j  to  assist  them  in  determining  their  true  sphere  in  life;  but  the  folly 


224  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

of  parents  often  steps  in  and  hinders  or  throws  a  stumbling  block  in 
their  way.  Their  pride  and  vanity  may  want  their  son  to  do  some- 
thing he  has  no  taste  or  talent  for;  or,  if  they  are  poor,  they  may 
be  anxious  to  have  him  work  at  something  to  bring  inji  few  dollars, 
thereby  depriving  him  of  an  ordinary  education,  and  forcing  him 
into  an  insignificant  position  the  remainder  of  his  days.  It  is  true 
that  occasionally  men  of  genius  surmount  all  obstacles  and  reach 
the  goal  of  their  ambition,  but  they  are  the  exception  and  not  the 
rule.  It  is  also  true  that  many  of  these  young  persons,  thwarted 
in  their  plans  to  pursue  a  calling  in  life  they  naturally  love,  become 
crushed  in  spirit,  careless  in  habits,  and  destitute  of  enterprise  and 
energy;  and  when  they  reach  that  point  they  are  as  likely  to  fall 
into  an  evil  life  as  a  good  one;  for  he  who  has  no  object  or  aim  in 
life  has  really  little  or  nothing  to  live  for,  and  if  he  has  nothing  to 
live  for,  he  grows  indifferent  to  his  own  welfare,  physically,  men- 
tally and  morally.  A  defective  education,  leaving  a  weak  point  in 
the  character,  may  be  the  means  of  turning  him  from  the  path  of 
rectitude  and  life,  to  ruin  and  death.  That  weak  point  will  sooner 
or  later  be  exposed  to  temptation  or  trial,  and  ,unless  protected  in 
some  way  he  will  wince  and  succumb.  I  care  not  how  strong  a 
man  may  be  in  other  parts  of  his  body,  if  his  lungs  are  weak  he  is 
in  danger  of  colds  and  consumption,  which  may  carry  him  off  unless 
he  takes  precaution  to  strengthen  his  lungs  and  ward  off  colds,  or 
suddenly  break  them  up.  A  house  or  public  building  may  have  a 
solid  foundation  and  be  strongly  erected;  nevertheless,  if  it  has  a 
defective  chimney  it  is  in  great  danger  of  being  destroyed  by  fire. 
A  fort  may  be  well  supplied  with  war  material,  and  soldiers  well 
officered,  but  if  there  is  a  weak  spot  in  its  structure  the  enemy  will 
soon  demolish  or  take  it.  It  does  not  pay  to  send  young  people 
out  into  the  world  with  flaws  in  their  education;  still  it  is  being 
done  every  day.  The  fashionable  schools  of  education,  especially 
female  seminaries,  where  they  seem  to  aim  to  fit  young  ladies  to 
shine  in  society,  and  nowhere  else,  are  doing  just  this  kind  of 
defective  work.  They  train  them  theoretically  but  not  practically; 
give  them  a  smattering  of  music,  French,  drawing,  painting,  his- 
tory, etc.;  and  then  conclude  that  they  are  educated,  when  the 
practical  part  that  fits  them  to  come  in  contact  with  the  world  and 
human  nature,  has  been  entirely  left  out.  The  most  these  girls 
know  about  men's  character,  and  I  am  not  sur?  but  that  ef  their 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  22  q 

own  sex,  also,  Is  what  they  have  gleaned  over  the  midnight  lamp 
from  some  highly-colored  novel.  The  result  is,  that  these  girls, 
when  they  graduate  in  all  their  finery  and  pomposity,  are  as  green 
as  grass  on  the  very  things  they  ought  to  study  and  learn  at  school. 
And  many  of  the  things  they  have  learned  they  will  make  no  use 
of  and  forget  in  less  than  six  months  after  they  leave  school. 

This  is  true,  more  or  less,  of  all  schools  of  learning.  The  mere 
theoretical  is  crammed  into  them,  and  the  practical  left  out.  I 
hardly  know  who  is  to  blame;  whether  it  is  the  parents  who  send 
them  and  put  up  with  such  an  education,  or  really  want  it,  or  the 
teachers  and  principals  who  give  that  kind  of  training.  Think  of 
a  father  or  mother  spending  hundreds  or  thousands  of  dollars  edu- 
cating a  daughter  at  a  fashionable  boarding-school,  and  then  have 
her  come  home  and  throw  herself  away  on  some  worthless  fellow, 
or  elope  with  the  hired  man,  and  finally  drift  into  a  lost  life,  which 
she  would  have  more  sense  to  do  had  she  been  rightly  educated. 
While  I  was  lecturing  in  West  Virginia,  one  season,  I  heard  of  a 
girl  who  was  taken  out  of  a  female  seminary  in  some  other  state, 
by  a  young  man,  seduced  and  left  in  a  house  of  prostitution.  She 
probably  knew  more  about  French,  music  and  grammar,  than  she 
did  about  men  and  human  nature.  Being  acquainted  with  the 
young  man,  and  possessing  a  confiding  and  affectionate  nature,  her 
ruin  was  easily  accomplished.  She  came  in  contact  with  a  bad 
spirit  in  the  form  of  a  bad  man;  but  she  had  never  been  taught 
anything  about  such  individuals,  and,  like  Eve,  knew  not  the 
tempter  until  she  had  sinned,  and  it  was  too  late.  Tell  me,  reader, 
what  good  was  her  education  to  herself  or  anybody  else.^  Was  it 
not  defective  somewhere.?  Was  not  a  good  spirit  transformed  into 
a  bad  spirit  by  her  innocence  of  the  motives  of  the  man  she  sup- 
posed to  be  her  friend.?  O  but  you  say,  "If  she  had  been  a  good 
girl  she  would  have  returned  to  her  home."  That  is  easier  said 
than  done;  for  in  the  first  place,  she  felt  ashamed  to  go  home;  that 
kind  of  sin  always  brings  a  sense  of  deep  shame  when  committed 
the  first  time.  It  was  so  with  our  first  parents;  they  went  and  hid 
themselves.  And  so  young  women  naturally  want  to  hide  them- 
selves from  their  parents,  whom  they  fear,  just  as  much  as  Adam 
and  Eve  did  from  the  Almighty.  In  the  next  place,  she  was  left 
in  a  strange  city  without  any  money  (because  it  is  not  necessary 
for  a  lady  to  carry  money  with  her  when  escorted  anywhere  by  a 


226  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

gentleman),  and,  therefore,  had  no  means  to  get  home  with,  unless 
she  made  her  case  known.  In  the  third  place,  the  keeper  of  the 
house  of  ill-fame  in  which  she  was  left  and  deserted  by  her  seducer, 
would  use  the  utmost  of  her  influence  and  power  —  if  not  force  —  to 
keep  her  there  until  she  became  reconciled  to  her  fate.  Thus,  you 
see  how  hard  it  is  for  a  poor  girl,  when  once  deceived  and  seduced. 
to  return  to  a  life  of  purity  and  to  her  home.  For  this  reason,  I 
urge  the  necessity  of  a  change  in  the  public  and  private  systems 
of  education,  which  leaves  character  so  deficient  in  discipline,  so 
weak  in  its  power  to  resist  evil,  and  so  deficient  in  a  general 
knowledge  of  human   nature. 

Bad  spirits  are  frequently  developed  through  bad  companion- 
ship, filthy  conversation  and  immodest  sights.  Let  a  young  person 
of  good  tendencies  fall  into  the  society  of  one  just  the  opposite, 
and  keep  his  or  her  company,  the  chances  are  that  the  evil  one 
will  corrupt  the  other,  unless  wonderfully  fortified  in  moral  strength, 
principle  and  courage.  Men  cannot  witness  immoral  scenes,  nor 
gaze  on  licentious  persons,  or  pictures  of  them,  without  injuring 
their  souls,  any  more  than  they  can  contract  a  loathsome  disease 
without  injuring  their  bodies.  That  which  appeals  to  men's  pas- 
sions through  the  sense  of  sight,  is  a  powerful  tempter;  because  it 
not  only  arouses  the  passions  for  the  time  being,  but  lingers  in  the 
mind  when  the  vision  has  passed  away.  The  senses  of  feeling  and 
hearing  are  momentary  as  compared  with  that  of  sight.  A  picture 
of  anything  may  be  kept  constantly  before  the  eyes.  Hence,  the 
sense  of  sight  paints  its  images  and  impressions  much  stronger  on 
the  mind  than  any  other  of  the  five  senses.  The  man  who  keeps 
before  his  sight  an  obscene  picture,  or  goes  to  shows  where  they 
dance  or  perform  other  lewd  acts,  is  murdering  his  own  soul.  It 
is  a  common  sight  in  any  large  city  to  see  men  of  all  ages  hur- 
rying and  rushing  to  the  ticket  office  of  a  variety  theater,  with  all 
the  intensity  and  eagerness  of  their  natures,  and  almost  push  one 
another  away  in  their  anxiety  to  get  tickets  first,  and  secure  the 
best  seats.  They  imagine  they  are  going  to  have  a  good  time  and 
a  luxurious  feast  of  sight-seeing.  Well,  perhaps  they  do,  judging 
from  their  own  perverted  taste;  because  what  these  men  seem  to 
enjoy  the  most,  is  to  smoke,  chew,  spit,  drink  and  liste  n  to  coarse  : 
lewd,  far-fetched  jokes,  and  gaze  on  half-dressed  women  daubed  \x\  i 
with  powder  and  paint  till  they  look  more  like  fiends  than  womea> 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD  AND  BAD.  22/ 

But,  of  course,  the  frequenters  of  these  places  never  seem  to  think 
it  does  them  any  injury.  It  feeds  their  baser  passions,  while  the 
clog-dancing  and  low,  rough,  comical  acting  of  the  men,  excites 
their  mirthfulness;  so  they  go  home  pleased,  and  think  that  they 
are  better  prepared  for  business  the  next  day.  They  have  had  a 
good  laugh,  and  they  say  that  a  good  laugh  cheers  them  up  after  a 
hard  day's  work  with  the  cares  of  business.  You  can  tell  almost 
every  business  man  who  visits  these  haunts  of  iniquity.  You  will 
find  his  windows  half-full  of  the  show-bills  and  pictures  of  actresses 
at  these  theaters.  He  will  cover  up  half  of  his  goods  providing  he 
can  get  a  few  tickets  for  it,  not  only  of  the  low  theaters,  but  all 
classes  of  shows  and  theaters.  Saloons,  cigar-stores,  clothing- 
stores,  hat-stores  and  drug-stores,  are  generally  filled  up  with  that 
kind  of  rubbish  (not  the  first-class  clothing  and  drug  stores,  but 
the  middle  and  cheaper  class). 

The  fallacy  of  this  method  of  a  certain  class  of  business  men  as 
well  as  the  laboring  class  to  cheer  up  their  depressed  spirits,  must 
be  apparent  to  any  reflecting  mind  that  takes  cognizance  of  cause 
and  effect.  It  blunts  their  moral  sensibihties,  and  destroys  all  taste 
for  anything  of  a  spiritual,  religious,  or  scientific  nature.  It  lowers 
their  organic  tone,  creates  depraved  sentiments  that  can  appreciate 
nothing  unless  it  smacks  of  immorality  and  lowness,  and  worst  of 
all  destroys  their  sense  of  right  and  wrong,  and  totally  blinds  their 
moral  eye-sight  so  that  they  cannot  see  the  cess-pool  of  iniquity 
and  filth  into  which  they  have  dragged  their  souls.  In  other  words, 
they  cannot,  nor  have  they  any  desire  to,  see  the  condition  of  their 
own  hearts;  for  they  have  become  variety-show  maniacs,  and  have 
consequently,  slowly  but  surely,  developed  bad  spirits.  I  grant, 
however,  that  a  large  number  of  them  only  become  negative  bcid 
spirits,  that  is,  though  they  have  contaminated  their  own  souls, 
they  do  not  seek  to  contaminate  others;  but  unfortunately  some  of 
them  become  positive  bad  spirits  —  that  is,  those  who  are  not  satis- 
fied with  having  defiled  themselves,  but  try  to  defile  others:  like  a 
young  man  who  took  a  young  lad  to  a  variety  show  in  Chicago  one 
night  where  there  was  a  cancan  dance  at  the  close.  As  a  student 
of  human  nature,  I  was  anxious  to  drop  into  one  of  those  dens  and 
study  the  faces  of  the  frequenters  of  such  places,  as  well  as  the 
actors  and  actresses  (if  they  may  be  called  such)  who  gave  such 
perforo^aiices,  ^d  the  character  of  th©  entertainment.    The  boy  I 


228  HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND   BAD. 

was  just  alludrng  to,  was  sitting  behind  me,  and  when  the  French 
cancan  came  on,  I  watched  the  boy's  countenance  to  see  what  effect 
it  would  have  upon  him.  If  ever  I  felt  sorry  for  the  welfare  of  any- 
body it  was  for  that  poor  boy.  He  blushed  and  fairly  quivered  with 
excitement.  It  was  no  doubt  the  first  performance  of  the  kind  he 
had  ever  seen,  but  I  fear  not  the  last;  for  his  sexual  passion  was 
evidently  aroused  and  excited  beyond  boyish  control.  I  not  only 
watched  the  boy's  face  but  listened  to  the  conversation,  for  I  could 
not  help  hearing  it  they  were  so  close  to  me.  The  man  remarked: 
**  Pretty  good  show,  is  it  not,  Johnny,  for  ten  cents  .•*"  "Yes,"  said 
the  trembling  boy.  "Well,"  said  the  man,  "whenever  you  want  to 
come  down  here  again,  just  let  me  know  and  I'll  bring  you."  Tliese 
are  the  kind  of  bad  spirits  that  I  wish  to  refer  to  in  this  essay  — 
the  positive  and  not  the  negative  kind  —  those  who  corrupt  and 
ruin  others  as  well  as  themselves. 

As  to  how  many  souls  have  been  ruined  through  filthy  conver- 
sation in  the  way  of  smutty  sexual  stories,  w^hich  never  had  any 
foundation  save  in  the  foul  and  licentious  imagination  of  the  origi- 
nator, I  have  no  means  of  knowing.  But  I  do  know  that  some  of 
the  smuttiest  stories  I  have  ever  heard,  and  that  made  a  deeper 
and  more  lasting  impression  on  my  mind  than  any  others,  were 
related  in  my  youthful  years  by  church  members  —  men  who  were 
active  members,  supposed  to  be  seeking  and  trying  to  save  souls 
instead  of  trying  to  ruin  them.  If  I  were  to  live  a  thousand  years 
I  could  never  forget  stories  that  a  clergyman  told  in  his  own  parlor, 
and  in  the  presence  and  hearing  of  his  daughters  (young  women 
from  seventeen  to  twenty  years  of  age).  One  of  them  went  into  the 
next  room  and  the  other  remained,  reclining  on  the  lounge,  laugh- 
ing at  the  scene  and  individual  described.  I  was  thunderstruck 
and  bewildered,  not  knowing  what  to  say,  nor  which  way  to  look; 
and  if  I  had  not  heard  the  man  preach  and  knew  positively  where 
I  was,  I  should  have  suspected  that  I  was  in  a  house  of  ill-fame, 
instead  of  in  a  minister's  residence  and  family.  True,  there  was 
nothing  bad  in  the  words  used,  or  the  act  described,  but  it  was 
suggestive  of  evil,  especially  in  the  presence  of  his  daughters,  and 
therefore  tended,  whether  it  was  so  meant  or  not,  to  arouse  the 
amative  feelings.  1  do  not  say  the  clergyman  was  a  bad  man.  He 
was  very  sociable  and  had  other  good  characteristics;  but  he  was 
certainly  very  indiscreet  and  careless  in  his  conversation,  and  fai 


HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND   BAD.  229 

more  particular  and  zealous  about  his  church  creed  than  he  was 
concerning  the  moral  effect  of  what  he  said.  It  is  bad  enough  to 
hear  licentious  stories  from  men  of  the  world,  but  when  they  come 
from  professing  Christians  (whether  that  profession  is  real  or  not) 
they  are  apt  to  have  a  greater  influence  upon  a  young  man's  mind. 
He  naturally  reasons  to  himself  thus:  Well,  it  is  wrong,  no  doubt,  to 
indulge  in  sexual  intercourse  before  marriage,  but  there  is  no  harm 
in  thinking,  talking  and  joking  about  it.  That  is  a  sad  mistake 
which  many  young  men  and  women  make,  and  the  starting  point 
from  which  springs  many  an  evil  and  ruined  life.  Bad  thoughts 
ripen  into  bad  actions;  it  is  the  strongest  and  most  subtle  weapon 
the  devil  has;  it  is  a  sort  of  mental  wedge  that  enters  the  mind  so 
softly  and  imperceptibly  that  the  soul  is  lulled  into  sinful  desires 
before  it  realizes  the  change  that  is  taking  place.  And  let  me  tell 
you,  young  man,  or  woman,  or  whosoever  may  peruse  these  pages, 
that  when  once  the  old  serpent  of  sexual  lust  has  coiled  itself 
around  your  heart,  I  would  not  give  much  for  your  soul,  unless  the 
Almighty  comes  to  your  assistance.  That  awful  passion  will  hold 
you  with  an  iron  grasp,  from  v/hich  it  is  extremely  difficult  to 
break  away. 

That  was  the  mistake  which  innocent  Eve  first  made  in  reference 
to  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  She  looked  at  it,  thought 
about  it,  and  Hstened  to  evil  suggestions  from  the  tempter,  and 
finally  her  thoughts  led  to  an  action  which  was  sinful,  and  so  sin 
led  on  to  death.  Let  no  one  demoralize  you  with  impure  language. 
One  bad  word  and  evil  thought  may  counteract  a  dozen  good  ones, 
and  to  harbor  an  evil  thought  in  your  soul  is  like  carrying  a  venom- 
ous reptile  in  your  naked  bosom.  We  are  not  to  blame  for  having 
bad  thoughts  in  this  world  of  sin  and  depravity;  we  shall  always  be 
troubled  with  them.  But  we  are  to  blame  and  responsible  for 
cherishing  them  like  a  sweet  morsel  and  nursing  them  in  our  souls, 
day  and  night,  till  they  finally  nurse  us.  Says  the  scriptures,  "Who- 
soever looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath  already  committed 
adultery  in  his  heart."  This  implies  a  two-fold  act  on  the  part  of 
the  individual  before  he  sins.  First  of  all  he  looks;  but  the  mere 
act  of  looking  is  not  what  constitutes  the  sin.  He  next  thinks;  but 
thinking  of  itself  is  not  sin,  but  rather  what  he  thinks  about.  He 
first  sees  the  woman;  then  instead  of  thinking  about  her  as  a  moral, 
jpiritual  or  intellectual  being,  he  thinks  of  her  simply  as  a  beautiful 


230  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

animal  capable  of  producing  in  hinn  sensations  of  pleasure,  and 
immediately  desires  to  experience  those  sen'sations  and  enjoy  the 
consequent  pleasure.  This  is  lust  and  sin.  It  is  the  carnalization 
of  sight  and  thought,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  which  always  tends  to 
degenerate  the  soul;  whereas,  spiritual  and  intellectual  thought 
elevates  it  and  makes  it  God-like.  The  desire  for  sexual  intercourse 
is  right  at  the  proper  time,  and  when  associated  with  spiritual 
and  exclusive  love.  Pure  spirituaHzed  love  that  is  concentrated 
upon  one  person,  thinketh  no  evil,  and  rejoiceth  not  in  evil  works. 
It  imparts  an  exalted  and  refined  tone  of  feeling,  purifies  the  actions, 
and  lifts  the  soul  far  above  whatsoever  is  gross  and  sensual.  When 
a  man  starts  on  a  journey  to  a  distant  city,  it  is  very  necessary  that 
he  should  select  the  right  road,  or  he  may  never  get  there;  and  it  is 
just  as  important  that  the  love-feeling  should  be  properly  awakened; 
for,  if  improperly  and  prematurely  excited  by  bad  sights,  conversa- 
tion, or  reading,  it  may  eventually  develop  into  a  bad  spirit  instead 
of  a  good  one.  A  little  thing  in  the  form  of  an  obstruction  on  the 
hill  or  mountain  side,  has  changed  the  course  of  great  rivers.  So 
there  are  many  souls  that  might  have  taken  a  different  course  had 
not  some  immoral  obstruction  changed  the  current  of  their  thoughts 
in  early  life;  for  like  as  the  perpetual  gliding  stream  forms  the  bed 
of  the  river,  so  perpetual  evil  thoughts  mold  and  fix  the  character. 
I  have  seen  boys  in  some  of  the  disreputable  streets  of  New 
York,  standing  in  front  of  the  low  dens  of  infamy,  eagerly  gazing 
into  the  faces  and  bare  bosoms  of  those  polluted  creatures,  while 
they  were  trying  their  best  to  frighten  or  drive  them  away.  Bad 
as  these  women  were,  they  seemed  to  have  more  sense  than  the 
thoughtless  mothers  who  allowed  their  boys  to  run  the  streets 
alone.  Parents  make  a  great  ado  about  their  girls,  and  seem  to 
think  [{  one  of  them  goes  out  of  the  house  after  dark  alone,  her 
chastity  is  in  great  danger;  whereas,  the  boys  are  frequently 
allowed  to  go  and  do  just  as  they  please.  There  is  just  where 
they  make  a  mistake.  Let  all  parents  take  care  of  the  boys  and 
young  men,  and  keep  them  out  of  mischief;  then  they  need  not 
fret  themselves  about  their  daughters.  The  girls  cannot  do  much 
harm  to  the  boys,  but  the  boys  can  do  a  good  deal  of  harm  to  them. 
Young  women  are  naturally  retiring  and  modest  (unless  they  are 
flirts),  but  the  young  men  are  bold,  cheeky  and  adventurous;  and, 
Ibtrefores  need  to  be  restr^ned  and  guarded  (juitc  ^  much,  if  no| 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  23 1 

more,  than  the  girls.  Hence,  it  is  easy  to  see  how  and  why  so 
many  young-  lads  become  bad  and  develop  into  criminals  when 
exposed  to  the  powerful  and  constant  temptations  that  abound  in 
every  large  city.  People  need  not  wonder  that  so  large  a  propor- 
tion of  every  generation  turn  out  bad,  and  become  a  curse  and 
burden  to  the  country  and  their  families.  It  would  be  a  greater 
wonder  if  they  did  not. 

The  next  and  final  step  in  the  complete  development  of  a  bad 
spirit  is,  evil  companionship.     Having  listened  to  bad  conversation, 
seen  demoralizing  pictures,  or  the  wanton  exhibition  of  the  human 
form,  and  indulged  in  evil  thoughts,  there  necessarily  springs  up  a 
desire  in  the  impassioned  and  excited  soul  for  questionable  society. 
There  is  a  secret  longing  for  the  company  of  those  who  have 
thrown   off  moral   restraint.     When   this  point   in   the  downward 
career  of  the  wayward  youth  is  reached,  the  voice  of  conscience  is 
soon  hushed;  the  timidity  and  backwardness  v/ith  which  he  before 
committed  sin  soon  passes  away,  and  he  emerges  into  the  uncon- 
scious moral  state  of  a  free  sinner;  and  then  it  is  that  he  becomes 
in  reality  a  bad  spirit.     Men  and  women  may  resist  the  temptation 
of  evil  thoughts,  sights  and  conversation,  but  when  in  connection 
with  or  in  addition  to  all  these,  there  comes  the  direct  influence  of 
a  wicked  person,  truly  the  net-work  of  sin  is  completely  woven 
and  fastened  around  the  soul;  and  the  power  to  resist  is  almost  as 
feeble  as  that  of  the  exhausted  and  struggling  fly  in  the  spider's 
web.     Let  no  man  boast  of  his  moral  strength,  his  will-power,  and 
ability  to  stop  when  and  where  he  pleases;  to  go  thus  far  and  no 
farther.     Sin  is  a  very  deceptive  thing,  and  a  very  dangerous  toy 
to  play  with.     It  is  something  like  the  river  Cheat,  running  down 
the  Alleghany  mountains:  it  looks  in  some  places  to  be  about  three 
feet  deep,  but  were  you  to  jump  in  you  would  find  it  over  your 
head.    So  it  is  with  sin:  it  looks  shallow,  and  appears  harmless  and 
innocent  in  some  of  its  powers  at  least,  but  plunge  in,  my  friend,' 
and  you  will  find  it  sufficiently  deep  and  treacherous  to  drown  your 
soul.     You  may  flatter  yourself  that  you  have  a  mind  of  your  own 
that  no  companion  can  control.     Perhaps  you  have,  but  remember, 
like  begets  like;  and  when  your  taste  is  so  perverted  that  you  love 
what  your  wicked  companion   loves,  you  are  unconsciously  con- 
trolled, and  under  his  influence  just  as  long  as  you  follow  his  ways, 
go  where  he  goes,  and  do  what  he  does. 


232  HUMAN  SPmiTS.  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

One  fncident  will  illustrate  the  powerful  influence  of  evil  assd- 
ciations.  A  beautiful  young  lady  in  Canada,  had  a  brother  who 
was  a  fast  young  man,  and  he  of  course  had  for  his  companions 
other  fast  young  men;  though  the  most  of  them,  I  presume,  be- 
longed to  nice  families.  As  one  acquaintance  generally  leads  to 
another,  the  young  man's  sister,  pure  and  lovely  as  she  then  was, 
became  introduced  into  the  society  of  the  other  fast  young  men, 
though  she  probably  knew  little  of  their  motives  or  private  charac- 
ters. Introductions  led  to  acquaintanceship,  and  from  that  friend- 
ships were  formed.  Then  came  parties,  evening  walks,  balls,  etc., 
and  the  rest  of  her  history'  I  need  not  write.  It  was  the  old  story 
of  sin  and  shame  and  ruin.  Here  let  the  curtain  drop  upon  the  lost 
life  of  one  who  was  once  the  joy  of  her  home,  the  beautiful  flower 
of  the  family,  and  the  pride  of  her  parents.  The  incident  just 
related  is  a  picture  of  what  bad  company  does  for  young  women, 
while  young  men  are  exposed  to  and  led  on  not  only  to  the  same 
vice  but  to  others  of  a  kindred  nature —  for  vices  generally  run  in 
a  sort  of  family.  Drinking,  gambling,  and  prostitution,  with  their 
accessories,  such  as  horse-racing,  theaters,  pawn-shops,  and  sports 
in  general,  are  a  nest  of  evils  all  contributary  to  each  other.  Hence, 
the  foolish  young  man  who  selects  a  bad  spirit  for  a  companion  is 
pretty  sure  to  be  caught  in  one  of  these  traps,  and  when  caught  in 
one  is  most  likely  to  be  led  into  another,  till  finally  he  acquires  a 
taste  or  love  for  such  evils  and  eventually  becomes  himself  corrupt, 
and  then  a  corrupter  of  others. 

Having  noticed  the  causes  that  make  bad  spirits,  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  dwell  on  the  birth  and  origin  of  good  spirits;  because 
in  preventing  the  evil  you  must  use  the  very  means  and  principles 
that  develop  the  good.  If  you  ask  me  why  I  speak  of  the  dark  and 
objectionable  side  of  human  life  and  conduct,  I  answer,  no  individ- 
ual or  community  can  avoid  or  exterminate  evils  without  first  know- 
ing of  their  existence  and  their  nature.  So  long  as  people  see  thes« 
evils,  and  simply  wink  at  them,  dodge  around  or  take  no  notice  of 
them,  just  so  long  will  they  curse  the  human  race.  It  is  of  no  usfi 
for  sensitive  and  over-modest  people  to  hold  up  their  self-righteou.s 
handkerchiefs  to  their  moral  noses  and  say,  "I  do  not  want  to  see, 
hear  or  know  anything  about  such  things."  That  is  just  what  a- 
large  number  of  citizens  do  in  regard  to  politics.  They  dislike  the 
corruptions  and  vices  of  political  parties,  and  the  bull-dozing  at 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  233 

elections,  so  they  determine  to  have  little  or  nothing  tc  do  with 
politics  or  politicians;  and  so  leave  the  elections  to  be  managed  by 
the  worst  elements  of  society,  who  send  men  to  the  Legislature  to 
make  laws  in  their  own  interest.  Thus  do  these  over-nice  but  cold- 
hearted  people  leave  the  weeds  of  sin  to  grow  up  ail  around,  and  in 
the  very  midst  of  their  pious  flower-gardens,  absorbing  the  light, 
warmth,  and  nutrition  in  themselves,  and  then  wonder  why  many 
of  their  choicest  plants  and  flowers  wither  and  die.  You  may  sow 
your  seeds,  water  and  care  for  your  sensitive  plants,  day  and  night, 
but  if  you  do  not  keep  the  weeds  down  and  give  the  flowers  a  chance 
to  grow,  you  will  find  your  labor  all  in  vain.  You  may  send  your 
sons  and  daughters  to  the  best  schools  in  the  land,  and  keep  them 
as  ignorant  as  you  please  of  bad  people  and  their  practices,  and 
content  yourself  that  they  are  growing  up  with  good,  bright,  and 
noble  spirits  as  many  of  them  will,  no  doubt,  while  others,  as  history 
shows  and  every-day  events  prove,  will  hasten  their  gray  haired 
parents  in  sorrow  to  the  grave.  Not  knowing  sin  or  its  appearance, 
these  young  people  allow  the  weeds  of  immorality  to  grow  up  in 
their  souls.  They  cherish  them  and  care  for  them  tenderly,  until 
good  thoughts  and  resolutions  give  way  to  evil  ones. 

Thus  many  a  soul  that  might  have  grown  up  good,  has  grown 
up  bad;  because  their  exceedingly  modest  parents  believed  that 
ignorance  was  bliss.  Well,  if  ignorance  is  bliss,  why  send  young 
people  to  school  at  all.?  Oh!  but  you  say,  it  is  the  good  we  want 
them  to  learn;  only  that  and  nothing  more.  Yes,  but  let  me  ask 
you,  how  in  the  name  of  common  sense  is  a  young  man  or  woman, 
or  a  child,  especially,  to  distinguish  between  good  and  evil.?  Many 
a  child  has  eaten  a  poisonous  plant  and  lost  its  life,  which  it  would 
not  have  done  had  it  known  the  dangerous  character  of  the  plant. 
Well,  you  say  again,  we  will  teach  them  the  good  and  watch  them 
that  they  do  not  come  in  contact  with  any  thing  or  person  that  is 
bad.  I  reply.  Nonsense;  can  you  or  anybody  else  watch  every  act, 
every  step,  and  know  everything  about  your  child,  by  day  and  by 
night?  You  know  that  such  a  thing  is  impossible;  and  the  best 
thing  you  can  do  for  your  children  is  to  exercise  the  same  common 
sense  that  every  bird  and  animal  in  creation  does  for  their  young. 
Warn  them  of  danger,  teach  them  what  and  who  is  their  enemy, 
and  then  rely  upon  their  true  manliness  and  womanliness,  and  the 
spirit  of  self-protection  to  save  and  not  destroy  themselves.     Chil- 


234  lltJlfAN  SHKiTS,  GOOD  AND  BAd. 

dren  are  not  tools  (if  some  of  their  parents  are),  and  when  once 
thoroughly  impressed  with  the  fact  that  a  certain  thing  or  act  is 
injurious,  they  will  most  likely  keep  clear  of  it;  that  is,  if  they 
know  it  from  childhood  up;  but  let  them  once  get  soiled  with  bad 
thoughts  or  habits,  and  of  course  you  will  have  more  difficulty  in 
keeping  them  from  sin.  The  best  way  to  induce  young  folks  to  do 
what  is  right  and  abhor  that  which  is  evil,  is  to  make  them  love 
you;  for  by  so  doing  you  win  their  confidence  and  obedience,  and 
it  would  pain  them  to  displease  you;  but  if  you  seek  to  control 
them  by  making  them  chiefly  fear  you  through  a  rigid,  strict, 
long-faced-piety  sort  of  training,  they  at  once  feel  their  liberty 
suppressed,  and  their  obedience,  if  rendered,  is  that  of  slavery. 

I  remember  a  seminary  where  both  sexes  attended,  that  was 
conducted  on  strict  discipline  style.  Instead  of  putting  the  young 
folks  on  their  dignity  to  act  as  ladies  and  gentlemen,  they  were 
treated  as  so  many  children  incapable  of  taking  care  of  themselves. 
Every  night,  or  once  a  week,  am  not  positive  which,  the  girls  were 
obliged  to  confess  to  the  matron,  or  rather  were  expected  to  do 
so,  whether  they  had  been  speaking  to  any  gentleman,  and  what 
was  the  result  of  it.  A  few  of  them  probably  told  the  truth,  but 
the  sharp  ones  would  not  hesitate  to  tell  what  they  call  a  white 
lie;  because  if  a  girl  will  flirt  or  break  the  rules,  she  will  lie  to  get 
clear  of  punishment.  So  their  system  of  discipline  was  a  capital 
one  to  teach  young  people  to  lie;  and  if  there  had  been  more  social 
freedom  in  that  school  the  boys  and  girls  would  not  have  played 
post-office  in  the  classes,  by  passing  notes  to  each  other  right 
under  the  eyes  of  the  teacher.  As  a  rule,  I  think  those  schools 
that  have  the  strictest  government,  have  the  most  trouble;  where 
reasonable  liberty  is  curbed,  there  you  have  the  most  sly  mischief. 
The  boy  or  girl  who  learns  to  play  sharp  tricks  at  school,  is  being 
educated  to  play  them  —  in  a  different  way,  perhaps  —  in  after  life. 
Nor  is  the  evil  remedied  by  educating  the  sexes  separately;  all  the 
difference  in  that  case  is,  that  you  have  less  of  one  kind  of  mischief 
and  more  of  another.  Like  some  seminary  girls  who  went  to  see 
the  Cotton  Exposition,  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  were  prevented  by  the 
principal  from  having  the  kind  of  fun  they  wanted  while  at  the 
hotel,  and  so  got  together  in  a  quiet  part  of  the  hall  and  smoked 
cigarettes,  rubbed  their  gums  with  snuff  and  spit  around  like  so 
many  men  chewing  tobacco.     The  married  lady  in  the  house,  who 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD,  235 

related  the  fact  to  me.  said  they  were  snuff-dippers,  and  carried 
their  outfit  in  their  pockets:  consisting  of  cigarettes,  a  box  of 
snuff,  and  a  small  stick  or  piece  of  wood  fringed  out  at  one  end,  to 
serve  as  a  sort  of  brush  to  rub  the  snuff  around  their  gums  with. 
Good  spirits,  then,  are  born  and  raised  through  good  parents  and 
the  right  kind  of  education.  Bad  spirits  are  born  and  raised  through 
bad  or  ignorant  parents,  or  defective  or  improper  education. 

I  shall  now  discuss  the  second  division  of  this  subject — the 
doings  of  good  and  bad  spirits.  Everything  that  lives  in  our  world 
at  least  must  work,  or  die  of  starvation.  Nothing  can  exist  without 
work  of  some  kind,  and  this  is  particularly  true  of  good  and  bad 
spirits.  Inactivity  belongs  to  dead  things,  not  living,  organized 
bodies  or  spirits.  The  devil  works,  and  that  continually;  if  he  did 
not  he  would  soon  lose  his  hold  on  the  human  family;  and  all  evil 
spirits  are  forever  doing  something  to  curse  mankind.  When  the 
spirits  of  bad  men  and  women  can  work  iniquity  no  longer,  and 
they  pass  from  time  into  eternity,  they  leave  their  shadow  of  un- 
holy influence  behind  them.  They  have  tainted  the  moral  atmos- 
phere in  which  they  lived  with  the  effluvia  of  hell  itself,  and  time 
alone  can  blot  out  the  effect  of  their  lives.  The  good  spirits  are 
the  salt  of  the  earth  and  the  stars  of  the  moral  world.  They  reflect 
the  light  of  him  who  is  the  light  of  the  world,  and  thereby  illumine 
the  dark  places  of  the  earth.  Their  works  go  up  before  the  creator 
as  sweet-smelling  savors,  and  "  their  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness 
and  all  their  paths  are  peace."  In  life,  they  scatter  blessings  and 
sunshine  wherever  they  go;  and  after  death,  they  leave  an  aroma 
of  sweetness  behind  them  which  the  rising  generations  inhale,  that 
they  may  go  forth  and  breathe  the  same  spirit.  The  deeds  of  a 
good  man  are  not  confined  to  his  present  life;  he  leaves  an  influ- 
ence that  will  extend  far  and  wide  and  go  down  to  generations 
unborn.  The  fragrance  of  good  spirits  sweeten  the  souls  of  others 
and  incites  them  to  a  noble  life.  It  turns  the  world  into  a  heaven 
of  peace,  joy  and  love;  soothes  the  troubled  heart,  and  instills  a 
feeling  of  confidence  and  trust  in  others  without  which  no  soul  can 
be  happy.  Bad  spirits  make  men  envious,  distrustful,  and  hateful 
toward  each  other,  and  turns  this  fair  earth  into  one  grand  theater 
of  crime  and  misery.  They  make  wounds  which  they  never  heal, 
and  aching  hearts  which  they  never  comfort.  They  set  men  at 
v^l^ce  with  one  another,  stir  up  strife^  destroy  the  peace  %vA 


236  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

happiness  of  families,  beguile  the  youth,  and  lead  astray  the  unsus- 
pecting. Theirs  is  but  to  do  and  die,  regardless  of  the  future  and 
the  rights  of  others;  selfishness  in  them  reigns  supreme,  and  the 
pursuit  of  worldly  pleasure,  and  the  gratification  of  their  passions 
and  appetites  is  the  one  object  of  their  lives.  They  live  for  self  and 
self  only;  whereas,  good  spirits  live  for  others  as  well  as  them- 
selves. Theirs  is  a  life  of  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice;  they  keep 
down  the  animal  nature  that  the  spiritual  may  predominate.  But 
the  wicked  keep  in  subjection  the  spiritual  that  the  animal  may 
predominate;  the  good  aspire,^  the  bad  desire  only,  and  the  one 
loves  what  the  other  hates.  Thus  do  their  characters  differ  and 
their  pathways  diverge;  the  one  leading  up  to  life  and  happiness 
eternal;  the  other  down  to  death  and  punishment. 

All  spirits  impress  their  true  characters  upon  others.  They 
cannot  hide  them  because  the  magnetism  of  one  person  acts  upon 
the  magnetism  of  another,  without  any  effort  on  the  part  of  either. 
Through  this  subtle  agency  the  mind  of  one  person,  be  it  good  or 
bad,  is  brought  into  communication  with  the  minds  of  others. 
Hence,  it  is  not  always  necessary  for  any  one  to  act  or  speak 
wickedly  to  impress  it  upon  others,  the  very  looks  and  thoughts 
are  often  sufficient  to  convey  and  reveal  the  general  character. 

There  are  three  ways  of  transmitting  and  evincing  character, 
viz.:  by  action,  voice  and  expression.  The  latter,  particularly, 
manifesting  the  feelings,  and  the  two  former  the  thoughts;  in  other 
words,  if  I  may  make  this  metaphysical  distinction,  men  and  women 
express  their  thoughts,  of  whatever  character  they  may  be,  either 
in  conversation  or  by  actions.  But  their  feelings,  which  seem  to 
spring  into  action  before  thought  and  are  prompted  by  the  physi- 
cal condition  of  the  individual,  are  most  readily  and  easily  portrayed 
in  the  countenance.  Some  good  people  show  their  goodness  in 
benevolent  acts,  others  in  kind  words  and  pure,  thoughtful  conver- 
sation or  talk;  while  a  third  class  show  it  in  their  quiet  but 
expressive  and  influential  lives  and  books.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
bad  likewise  have  three  ways  of  exhibiting  their  wickedness :  by 
licentious  actions,  filthy  conversation  and  insinuating  or  suggestive 
looks.  The  noble  acts  of  men  like  George  Peabody,  Peter  Cooper 
and  Henry  Bergh,  will  be  remembered  for  generations  after  they 
have  passed  away,  and  their  good  deeds  will  likewise  continue  to 
Ma^  humanity.    So  women  like  Florence  Nightingale,  Lucrstia 


HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND   BAD.  237 

Mott  and  others  have  left  through  their  commendable  acts,  not 
merely  fragrant  characters,  but  noble  examples  to  all  future  gener- 
ations, and  they  stand  out  like  brilliant  fixed  planets,  winning  the 
attention  and  admiration  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  These  are 
the  kind  of  men  and  women  who  make  the  world  better,  and  to 
whom  society  is  indebted;  because  they  act  as  human  elevators; 
they  raise  people  out  of  their  cold,  narrow,  selfish  sphere  up  to  a 
higher  plane  of  moral  life.  They  deny  themselves,  that  they 
may  live  and  labor  for  others  and  the  God  who  made  them,  and  in 
so  doing  they  crush  out  selfishness,  which  is  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple of  all  sin;  and  there  lies  the  secret  of  their  power. 

A  selfish  nature  may  be  influential  and  powerful  for  a  time,  but 
it  does  not  last  long.  Selfish  natures  rnay  make  fortunes  which 
rising  generations  often  squander;  for  such  persons  seldom  leave 
their  money  in  a  way  to  do  much  good.  They  generally  hand  it 
down  to  their  family  connections,  their  sons  perhaps,  who  turn  out 
to  be  fast  young  men,  and  run  it  through  in  a  few  years.  Like  a 
young  man  I  once  heard  of  who,  having  a  fortune  left  him,  found 
himself  in  possession  of  far  more  money  than  brains  or  common 
sense;  and  so  to  show  off  how  flush  he  was  in  the  presence  of 
others,  would  take  out  a  five-dollar  bill  to  light  his  cigar  with.  I 
suppose  I  need  not  tell  you  he  lived,  as  all  such  fools  do,  to  see  the 
day  of  want  and  destitution.  How  truly  do  riches  take  to  them- 
selves wings  and  fly  away  when  in  the  hands  of  such  selfish,  un- 
principled and  Godless  characters.  Money  always  burns  a  hole  in 
the  pockets  of  bad  spirits.  Generous  natures  study  how  they  can 
leave  their  money  to  do  the  most  good,  and  the  least  harm;  how 
they  can  throw  in  their  mite  to  benefit  the  poor,  and  help  to 
elevate  the  race;  and  when  they  die  humanity  allows  them  to  rest  in 
peace.  Even  thieves  and  body-snatchers  have  too  much  respect 
for  them  to  violate  the  sanctity  of  their  graves  or  tombs.  But 
when  a  selfish,  miserly  man  dies  and  leaves  his*  money  in  a  lump  to 
two  or  three  relatives,  then  come  family  contentions  and  law- 
suits, to  which  there  is  almost  no  end;  and,  perhaps,  the  evil  spirits 
of  speculating  thieves  dig  up  his  carcass,  and  hide  it  away  in  the 
hope  of  a  rich  reward  for  its  recovery.  Nobody  has  any  profound 
or  reverential  feelings  of  respect  for  the  spirits,  or  even  the  bodies, 
of  selfish,  rich,  worldly  men,  and  when  dead  they  are  forgotten,  or 
tfeglr  names  serve  only  ^s  by- words  of  shame  ^nd  reproach.    That 


238  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

which  is  good  will  live  forever;  but  that  which  is  bad  will  pass 
away  in  its  own  corruption.  Bad  spirits  are  never  contented  unless 
they  are  into  some  mischief,  either  doing  injury  to  others  or  them- 
selves. Good  spirits  are  never  so  happy  as  when  they  are  doing 
something  to  benefit  mankind;  "their  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  his  law  do  they  meditate  day  and  night."  The 
wicked  are  a  law  unto  themselves;  for  they  hate  moral  restraint 
above  all  things  else.  Free  indulgence  of  the  passions  —  eat,  drink 
and  be  merry,  the  right  to  do  as  they  please,  and  every  man  for 
himself,  are  some  of  their  choicest  mottoes. 

The  line  of  distinction  can  be  clearly  drawn  between  the  good 
and  the  bad.  Yes,  reader,  you  can  figure  it  out  for  yourself  math- 
ematically if  you  want  to.  Suppose  there  are  forty  faculties  in 
your  mind,  and  twenty-five  of  them  you  use  in  a  normal  and 
healthy  manner,  and  they  control  the  other  fifteen;  then  your 
spirit  on  the  whole  is  good,  even  though  the  fifteen  may  be  im- 
properly used.  If,  however,  the  fifteen,  or  even  ten,  of  your  facul- 
ties are  large  and  intensely  active,  bringing  into  subjection  and 
controlling  the  twenty-five,  which,  though  greater  in  number,  may, 
nevertheless,  be  weaker  in  power,  then  your  spirit  is  bad,  and  will 
take  a  downward  instead  of  an  upward  course.  We  are  not  to 
blame  for  having  passions.  We  would  be  of  little  use  in  this  world, 
nor  could  the  race  be  perpetuated  without  them;  but  we  are  to 
blame  for  allowing  our  passions  to  have  the  mastery  over  our  con- 
science, will  and  intellect,  and  allowing  ourselves  to  become  the 
slaves  of  any  passion,  be  it  for  money,  women,  drink,  food,  pleasure 
or  anything  else.  We  are  to  blame  for  allowing  our  minds  to 
become  unbalanced,  whereby  we  develop  odd  and  deformed  char- 
acters, having  diseased  and  unnatural  appetites,  which  eat  up  the 
very  soul  itself  We  are  not  responsible  for  the  way  we  were  born 
and  brought  into  the  world  —  for  the  bodies  and  characters  our 
parents  gave  us.  But  we  are  responsible  and  accountable  for  the 
use  we  make  of  our  bodies  and  the  characters  we  develop  in  them 
by  our  thoughts  and  habits. 

Socrates  had  a  low,  coarse,  passional  nature,  with  a  giant  intel- 
lect. He  had  it  in  his  power  to  allow  his  animal  nature  to  control 
his  intellect  and  make  it  minister  to  the  gratification  of  his  pas- 
sions; or  to  make  his  intellect  hold  in  subjection  and  direct  in 
tbe  ri^ht  channel,  his  passions.     He  wisel^r  chose  the  letter,  m4 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  239 

blessed  the  world  with  his  good  qualities  instead  of  evil;  and  the 
world  in  return  has  honored  and  blessed  him  with  respectful  re- 
membrance. 

Some  one  has  said  that  every  man  is  the  architect  of  his  own 
fortune.  I  certainly  think  that  every  man  is  the  architect  of  his 
own  character,  and  can  make  of  himself  just  what  he  pleases  as  far 
as  good  and  bad  is  concerned.  It  may  be  hard,  up-hill  work, 
especially  at  first,  but  wliere  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way.  And  if 
a  man  will  only  persist,  he  will  come  out  the  victor  in  the  end.  As 
a  rule  a  man  is  just  as  good  as  he  wants  to  be.  The  builder  may 
not  be  responsible  for  the  quality  or  kind  of  material  he  has  to 
build  a  house  with,  but  he  is  responsible  for  the  manner  in  which 
he  puts  it  together.  Every  man  has  it  in  his  power  if  he  will,  to 
improve  and  make  more  perfect  and  beautiful  his  soul  and  body, 
instead  of  degrading  them.  Among  bad  spirits  we  find  two  gen- 
eral classes — hot  sinners  and  cold  sinners.  The  former  falls  into 
vices  that  are  licentious,  passional  and  exciting;  the  latter  into  acts 
that  are  mean,  selfish  and  retaliative.  A  few  incidents  will  illus- 
trate both  classes.  Beginning  with  the  cold  or  mean  class:  a 
widow  and  her  two  daughters,  in  Chicago,  had  rented  two  or  three 
rooms  in  some  block,  for  living  purposes,  and  being  poor,  and  strug- 
gling hard  to  get  along,  had  rented  some  furniture,  or  what  was 
the  next  thing  to  it,  had  bought  it  to  be  paid  for  in  installments. 
If  the  monthly  payments  are  not  paid  punctually,  the  owner  can 
take  the  furniture  away,  leaving  the  purchaser  to  lose  what  he  has 
already  paid;  just  like  foreclosing  a  mortgage  on  a  house.  Now, 
it  happened  in  the  course  of  time,  that  the  widow  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  some  other  woman  in  the  building  rooming  next  to  her, 
who  was  very  anxious  to  get  her  out  of  the  place.  So  her  feminine 
Ingenuity  devised  a  mean  and  contemptible  way  of  doing  it;  for  a 
woman  is  generally  a  woman's  worst  enemy  when  the  fire  of  hatred 
has  been  once  kindled.  Learning  that  the  widow  and  her  daugh- 
ters were  going  to  be  out  one  morning,  she  put  the  poor  woman's 
furniture  out  in  the  hall,  and  then  hurried  off  to  tell  the  storekeeper 
who  had  sold  her  the  things,  that  she  was  packing  up  and  going  to 
leave,  and  that  she  intended  to  take  the  furniture  with  her.  The 
furniture  dealer  went  to  the  house,  found  the  things  in  the  hall, 
and  of  course  believed  the  mean  woman's  story,  and  so  took  them 
away — leaving  the  poor  widow  homeless.     No  amount  of  talk  or 


240  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

explanation  would  disabuse  the  man's  mind  of  her  intention  to  take 
the  goods  away. 

There  is  room  for  sympathy  for  a  man  or  woman  whose  burning 
passion  leads  them  into  sin,  and  perhaps  into  the  clutches  of  the 
law;  but  it  seems  to  me  to  be  the  height  of  real  deviltry,  and  so 
inexcusable,  for  any  man  or  woman  to  deliberately  take  advantage 
of  another  unawares,  and  that  in  a  mean,  sneaking,  underhanded 
way.  Like  another  case  I  remember,  where  two  men  (crm  the 
subject  of  illustration.  They  were  partners;  one  furnishing  the 
capital  chiefly,  the  other  experience  in  a  business  partly  estublished. 
The  moneyed  man  soon  made  up  his  mind  that  he  wcjM  like  to 
sell  out,  or  get  control  of  the  whole  thing  himself,  to  neither  of 
which  propositions  his  partner  would  agree.  Seeing  uo  other  way 
of  breaking  up  the  partnership  (after  consulting  a  lawyer  as  unprin- 
cipled as  himself)  he  managed  to  have  the  rent  run  behind  about  a 
month,  and  then  slyly  and  stealthily  as  a  cat,  went  to  the  landlord 
and  refused  to  pay  any  more  rent  so  as  to  give  him  a  pretext  to 
issue  a  distress  warrant  for  his  rent,  and  thereby  force  the  termi- 
nation of  partnership  or  the  selling  out  of  the  business.  No  good 
spirit  would  ever  stoop  to  such  a  mean  trick.  One  more  illustra- 
tion of  this  class:  A  store-keeper  finds  himself  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstances, and  wants  to  raise  or  borrow  a  thousand  dollars  which 
he  never  intends  to  make  any  special  effort  or  sacrifice  to  pay 
back.  He  knows  a  young  man  who  has  just  started  in  business 
with  a  fair  amount  of  capital  to  back  him,  which  he  had  received 
from  his  parents,  or  could  have  by  asking  for  it.  But  the  question 
is,  How  shall  he  influence  him  to  loan  it  without  good  security, 
which  he  could  not  give.?  He  discovers  that  the  young  business 
man  is  fond  of  ladies;  is  good-natured,  free  and  easy,  with  not  very 
sharp  business  ideas,  and  below  him  in  social  circles.  He  also  re- 
members that  he  has  a  young  lady  relative  (daughter  or  niece,  no 
matter  which)  in  his  store.  So  he  gets  her  to  be  very  pleasant  and 
agreeable  to  him,  receive  his  attentions,  politely  flatter  him,  and  go 
with  him  to  entertainments.  The  young  man  feels  complimented; 
and  the  way  to  his  heart  and  pocket-book  is  soon  opened  —  he 
loans  the  thousand  dollars;  then  the  attentions  and  ardor  of  his 
lady-love  soon  cools,  and  he  finds  himself  minus  of  both  girl  and 
money.  I  call  such  a  trick  as  that,  a  regular  confidence  game  of  the 
worst  and  lowest  kind  on  the  part  of  the  man,  and  a  species  of  pros- 


HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND   BAD.  24 1 

citution  on  the  part  of  the  woman;  for  she  prostituted  her  feminine 
charms  and  attentions  for  a  base  purpose,  and  that  is  about  as  bad, 
morally  speaking,  as  prostituting  her  body.  It  was  a  trick  artfully 
and  deceitfully  played  through  the  combined  wits  of  both  man  and 
woman  upon  an  unsuspecting  man;  because  he  supposed  the  bor- 
rower was  perfectly  good,  having  wealthy  relatives,  and  simply 
wished,  as  he  represented,  to  be  accommodated  a  short  time.  Well, 
it  was  a  short  time  in  one  sense,  for  he  failed  soon  afterwards. 

A  young  lady  in  California  wishes  to  get  back  to  her  home  in 
Pennsylvania,  but  neither  she  nor  her  relatives  have  the  money 
necessary.  She  is  acquainted  with  a  young  man  in  Pennsylvania 
of  a  good  heart  and  unsuspecting  nature,  with  whom  she  corres- 
ponds in  a  friendly  way,  and  who  thinks  considerable  of  her,  which 
she  knows  or  soon  finds  out  by  the  letters  that  are  exchanged. 
She  makes  believe  that  she  loves  him,  and  he  thinks  his  prospects 
for  marriage  good;  but  of  course  she  does  not  like  to  travel  all  that 
way  alone.  Lovingly  he  goes  to  California  after  her,  and  brings 
her  back  at  his  own  expense,  only  to  find  he  has  spent  his  time  and 
money  for  nothing.  She  soon  loves  another  or  at  any  rate  not  him; 
she  loved  him  just  long  enough  to  get  home  —  mean,  treacherous 
wretch  !  These  are  some  of  the  doings  of  the  cold-hearted  class 
of  bad  spirits,  while  those  of  the  hot  class  are  entirely  of  a  dif- 
ferent nature  —  more  immoral  in  the  estimation  of  the  world,  and 
therefore  held  up  to  greater  censure;  though,  after  all,  there  is  a 
secret  love  with  a  large  number  of  people  for  the  very  sins  they 
publicly  denounce.  If  it  were  not  so,  scandals  and  light,  trashy 
literature,  to  say  nothing  of  the  objectionable  kind,  would  not  find 
such  a  large  class  of  readers,  and  such  liberal  patronage.  While  in 
Virginia  one  season,  lecturing,  I  called  on  a  clergyman  who,  during 
our  conversation  regarding  light  literature  and  the  general  taste  of 
people,  said  :  Some  time  ago  a  student  who  was  preparing  himself 
for  the  ministry,  wished  to  make  a  Httle  money  during  the  vacation 
to  help  him  along.  So  he  started  out  to  canvass  for  a  good  book, 
one  of  a  high  moral  or  religious  character,  among  the  members  of 
the  pastor's  church  and  congregation.  But  he  met  with  far  more 
discouragement  than  encouragement;  the  lady  and  mother  of  one 
of  the  church  families  on  whom  he  called,  told  him  that  she  did  not 
care  about  a  dry  book  like  that,  but  would  willingly  subscribe  if  he 
had  been   taking   orders  for  the  Police  Gazette,     She  was  more 


242  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

willing  to  read  and  introduce  into  the  family  a  paper  devoted  to  the 
interest  of  the  fast  and  sporting  classes,  than  she  was  a  good  book. 
Nevertheless,  if  some  day  one  of  her  daughters  or  sons  should  turn 
out  bad,  she  will  be  unable  to  account  for  it — would  never  have 
dreamt  or  thought  of  such  a  thing,  and  will  get  her  neighbors  and 
the  whole  church  to  pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  wayward  child. 

It  is  the  bad  spirits  that  write  smut  on  the  walls  and  doors  of 
public  buildings.  One  can  scarcely  enter  the  halls  of  any  public 
place,  without  seeing  the  walls  scribbled  over  with  the  breathings 
of  foul  spirits,  very  often  with  rude  attempts  at  poetry,  and  fre- 
quently accompanied  with  obscene  drawings.  I  presume  that  is 
the  only  way  some  low  specimens  of  humanity  have  of  leaving 
their  mark  or  name  behind  them.  I  have  seen  the  walls  of  colleges, 
especially  medical  schools,  most  shockingly  defaced  with  licen- 
tious writing,  and  yet  these  foul-mouthed,  dirty  brutes  are  being 
educated  (or  stuffed  with  text-book  knowledge)  to  practice  medi- 
cine in  the  homes  of  respectable  families,  to  examine  and  attend 
the  mothers  and  their  daughters  of  whatever  sphere  of  society  they 
may  chance  to  curse  with  their  presence.  And  the  faculties  of 
many  colleges  seem  to  be  quite  indifferent  as  regards  this  species 
of  immorality  among  the  students;  they  look  at  it  with  one  eye 
and  wink  at  it  with  the  other.  In  one  college  that  I  entered, 
which  was  devoted  to  general  education,  I  noticed  smut  written  on 
the  bulletin-board  in  the  most  conspicuous  place  in  the  building, 
just  inside  of  the  front-door  entrance,  and  immediately  opposite 
the  president's  room.  I  called  on  him  to  see  if  I  could  arrange  to 
lecture  before  the  students.  But  he  was  one  of  those  indifferent 
sort  of  individuals  who  never  want  anything  that  they  really  do 
want,  and  hence  he  coolly  informed  me  that  they  had  no  place  or 
time  for  any  lectures.  Still,  I  could  not  help  thinking  in  my  own 
mind,  that  both  he  and  his  students  needed  a  lecture  very  badly 
on  morals,  if  on  no  other  subject. 

The  men,  boys  and  girls  who  write  smut  on  walls,  have  licen- 
tious, corrupt  and  generally  hot  natures;  and  if  teachers  under- 
stood human  nature  and  their  business  better  than  they  do,  they 
would  try  and  form  better  characters,  and  instill  pure  thoughts  and 
ideas  into  them,  as  well  as  cram  their  brains  with  a  lot  of  theoreti- 
cal trash.  But  there  are  two  difficulties  in  the  way  of  teachers  and 
professors  doing  what  they  ought  to  do,    One  in  the  universal 


titJUAN  SrtRltS,  G60i>  Afft  tAt.  Mi 

pfevalence  of  a  false  system  of  education  which,  to  a  ^reat  extent, 
leaves  the  morals  and  private  thoughts  and  habits  of  tiie  students 
and  pupils  uncared  for;  the  other  is,  that  some  teachers  are  no 
better  at  heart,  if  as  good,  as  their  scholars. 

In  one  of  the  cities  of  New  York,  a  piano-tuner  was  sent  for  to 
call  at  some  house  to  tune  a  piano.  On  his  arrival,  he  was  asked 
by  the  lady,  if  he  kTiew  he  was  in  a  house  of  assignation,  and 
whether  it  would  make  any  difference?  He  replied,  it  would  not; 
that  he  was  there  simply  to  attend  to  his  business  and  get  his 
money  for  it.  While  in  conversation,  a  woman  stepped  in  the  side 
or  hall  door,  and  catching  sight  of  him  in  the  parlor,  instantly 
turned  and  darted  out  or  into  another  room;  but  the  man  recog- 
nized her  at  a  glance.  She  was  the  teacher  of  his  own  daughter  in 
a  school  just  out  of  the  city.  Then  to  save  herself,  she  threatened 
to  blackmail  the  piano-tuner;  but  he  politely  told  her  that  he  could 
explain  his  business  there,  and  unless  she  could  do  the  same,  she 
had  better  leave  the  school.     The  next  day  she  left. 

It  IS  true,  that  strong  passions  may  sometimes  make  a  man  or 
woman  do  an  indiscreet  and  improper  thing;  but  they  feel  sorry 
and  ashamed  afterwards,  and  hardly  come  under  the  head  of  bad 
spirits.  Others  again  are  unprincipled,  careless  and  indifferent  as 
to  the  result  or  consequences  of  their  actions,  and  are  going  about 
seeking  whom  they  maydevour  to  satisfy  their  lustful  natures.  These 
are  the  kind  of  teachers  who  care  little  for  the  moral  culture  of 
children,  or  even  what  they  do.  Some  person  who  may  chance  to  read 
these  pages,  may  doubt  my  statement  in  reference  to  girls  writing 
smut  on  the  walls  of  buildings.  All  I  have  to  say  in  reply  is,  that 
a  principal  of  a  public  school  told  me  that  the  worst  writing  he 
ever  saw  or  read  was  written  by  two  girls;  for  when  it  was  discov- 
ered, it  caused  considerable  excitement,  and  a  thorough  examina- 
tion and  investigation  was  made  which  resulted  in  fixing  the  deed 
where  it  belonged;  one  of  the  girls,  I  believe,  owned  up  To  sum 
up  the  future  of  those  two  girls:  one  of  them  turned  out  a  prosti- 
tute, the  other  married  a  business  man  who  was  doing  well,  which 
undoubtedly  saved  her.  Boys  and  girls  have  different  ways  of 
manifesting  the  evil  spirit  that  lurks  within  them;  each  choosing  a 
way  and  opportunity  peculiar  to  their  sex.  Hoys  and  men  stand  on 
the  corners  of  the  street,  in  the  door- ways,  and  passage-ways  of  all 
public  pl4c§8,  and  wherever  they  can  find  a  chance  to  cast  their 


244  HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD  AND  BAD. 

lascivious,  brazen  and  impudent  looks  into  the  faces  of  the  fair  sesi 

At  the  churches  they  block  up  the  sidewalk  and  door-ways,  watch^ 
ing  the  ladies  coming  down  stairs;  every  good-looking  or  dressy 
woman  is  scrutinized  from  head  to  foot.  Hence,  with  this  class  oj 
young  men  the  coming  out  of  church  is  a  regular  show,  which  to 
them  is  the  most  interesting  part  of  the  religious  services,  and  il 
you  were  to  keep  the  women  out  of  church,  there  would  not  be 
many  men  there.  I  rem.ember  three  brazen  young  men  who  were 
standing  at  the  street  entrance  of  a  commercial  college.  As  I 
came  down  stairs,  there  were  two  young  ladies  about  to  ascend  the 
stairs,  and  I  saw  that  they  were  embarrassed,  and  hardly  knew 
what  to  do,  as  their  feminine  instinct  told  them  what  the  young 
men  were  waiting  for.  There  they  stood,  laughing,  staring  and 
passing  remarks  as  the  girls  ascended  the  stairs,  demonstrating  how 
much  of  the  rowdy  and  how  little  of  the  true  gentleman  was  in 
them.  At  picnics,  this  class  of  boys  will  most  hkely  refrain  from 
taking  part  in  a  general  game  between  the  sexes,  and  sneak  around 
to  some  convenient  spot  where  they  can  lie  down  and  look  at  the 
girls,  and  feast  their  insinuating  eyes  on  female  charms;  especially 
if  the  game  is  one  where  a  girl  might  happen  to  tumble  down  or 
in  some  way  expose  her  limbs.  The  presence,  actions  and  influence 
of  such  boys  are  demoralizing,  and  they  should  be  run  off  the  picnic 
grounds;  because,  if  there  are  any  girls  present  like  themselves, 
they  are  quick  to  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity,  and  act  out 
their  part  of  the  deviltry. 

If,  reader,  you  are  anxious  to  know  whether  your  spirit  is  good 
or  bad,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  examine  your  thoughts,  feelings, 
desires  and  actions.  And  if  you  find  yourself  harboring  and  cher- 
ishing vile  thoughts,  and  allowing  your  feelings  to  prompt  unholy 
desires  which  constantly  terminate  in  evil  actions,  whenever  you 
have  the  opportunity  to  commit  such  acts;  or,  in  other  words, 
when  you  allow  your  impulses  to  evil  to  go  unchecked,  and  cast 
aside  the  reins  of  moral  and  self  control,  then  you  may  safely  con- 
clude that  you  have  a  bad  spirit.  But  if  you  discover  yourself 
fighting  against  the  natural  temptation  to  evil  which  affects  the 
human  soul,  and  are  always  yearning  after  a  higher  and  purer  life, 
even  though  you  may  be  troubled  with  bad  thoughts  and  desires, 
and  occasionally  do  evil,  then  you  have  a  good  spirit;  not  good  in 
the  sense  of  being  pure  and  perfect,  but  good  because  you  arc 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD  AND  BAD.  245 

trying  to  be  good  and  do  better.  It  is  not  so  much  the  act  that 
determines  a  man's  guilt,  as  his  intent,  purpose  and  desire;  so  that 
the  man  whose  desire  and  aim  is  to  do  good  is,  comparatively 
speaking,  good;  whereas,  he  whose  purpose  and  efforts  are  to  do 
evil,  is  bad,  even  though  he  may  not  do  anything  very  wicked  for 
the  want  of  a  favorable  opportunity,  or  because  of  some  restraining 
influence  which  he  cannot  counteract.  The  bad  man  is  a  hiw  unto 
himself;  the  good  man  recognizes  a  higher  lavv%  to  which  he  bows 
in  submission  and  strives  to  obey. 

There  is  yet  another  way  of  knowing  and  determining  your 
moral  or  immoral  state,  and  that  is  by  the  twin  sciences,  physiog- 
nomy and  phrenology.  This  leads  me  to  the  third  and  last  division 
of  my  subject  —  what  or  how  good  and  bad  spirits  look;  for  each 
character  or  spirit  has  its  appropriate  facial  expression,  and  they 
are  no  more  alike  than  chalk  is  like  cheese.  Be  not  deceived;  the 
language  of  the  soul  is  clearly  written  in  the  face,  but  whether  you 
;  re  expert  enough  to  read  it  or  not,  is  another  question.  If  you  are 
I  ot,  allow  me  to  ask  you  not  to  be  so  foolish  as  to  deny  the  exist- 
ence of  what  you  cannot  see,  read  or  understand;  because  that 
would  be  acting  on  the  same  principle  as  the  atheist,  who,  because 
he  cannot,  through  his  limited  knowledge,  see,  find  out,  or  com- 
prehend the  Almighty,  conceitedly  or  egotistically  but  unreason- 
ably asserts  there  is  no  such  being.  There  is  no  such  thing  as 
hiding  life  or  character;  as  well  try  to  vail  the  noonday  sun. 
Whatever  is,  must  be,  and  is  made  manifest  in  some  way.  Can  you 
conceive  of  the  existence  of  a  thing  without  a  place  for  it.?  And 
granting  that  character  exists  in  the  soul  or  spirit,  then  it  must  be 
made  nr.anifest  somewhere;  because  the  spirit  has  life  and  we  cannot 
conceive  of  life  without  action;  and  inasmuch  as  the  spirit  is  con- 
fined and  exists,  moves  and  acts  in  the  body,  is  it  not  self-evident 
that  the  workings  of  the  soul,  the  inner  man,  must  be  made  mani- 
fest on  the  surface  of  the  body,  the  outer  man.''  For  after  all  what 
is  the  body  but  the  house  or  outer  covering  of  the  soul.'*  I  believe 
that  every  thought  or  motive  is  registered  somewhere  in  the  body, 
and  further,  I  am  incHned  to  believe  that  at  the  judgment  day  when 
everyone  will  be  judged  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body,  that  the 
naked  spirit  or  a  manifestation  of  it  through  its  accompanying  body, 
will  be  the  open  book  from  which  the  Almighty  will  judge  every 
soul;  or  in  other  words,  that  the  character  of  every  spirit  will  u. 


546  ntmAti  §fi%tn,  Goot  Ant)  bab. 

some  way  be  read  by  its  respective  phyLiugnomy.  Like  begets 
like;  and  just  as  the  character  of  the  parents  at  the  time  of  coition 
is  transmitted  to  the  child,  so  the  character  of  the  soul  is  transmit- 
ted by  nerve-force  and  magnetism  to  the  face.  The  brain,  by 
means  of  nerves,  has  communication  with  every  part  of  the  body, 
and  as  thought  is  evolved  by  the  workings  of  the  brain,  without 
which  there  is  no  thought,  it  stands  to  reason  that  the  effect  and 
influence  of  the  operations  of  the  brain  will  be  registered  and  dis- 
cernible on  the  face,  even  more  than  on  any  other  part  of  the  body, 
because  of  its  closer  connection  with  the  brain,  and  also  because  it 
is  partly  the  outer  covering  of  the  brain  and  designed  to  register 
its  workings. 

A  man's  face,  then,  is  the  picture  or  likeness  of  his  soul.  In- 
stinct teaches  that  and  everybody  unconsciously  admits  it,  else 
why  look  into  the  faces  of  our  friends  when  conversing  with  them, 
especially  their  eyes,  which  are  really  the  windows  of  the  soul,  for 
it  to  look  out  of  and  others  to  look  into.  If  there  is  no  mind  or 
character  in  the  face  and  eyes,  why  not  look  at  and  talk  to  the  back 
of  a  man's  head,  or  at  his  ear,  for  he  would  certainly  hear  much 
easier  in  that  way?  Again,  if  there  is  no  character,  no  mind,  no 
nothing,  either  good  or  bad  expressed  in  the  human  face,  why  do 
people  have  preferences;  why  like  one  person  at  first  sight  and  dis- 
like another;  why  trust  one  person  and  not  another,  and  why  is 
not  a  black  man  or  an  Indian,  Chinaman  or  a  Hottentot  just  as 
good,  as  lovable,  and  marriageable  to  a  white  man  as  any  other? 
True,  there  is  a  difference  in  color,  but  their  colors  are  in  harmony 
with  their  respective  characters;  and.  after  all,  the  objection  the 
white  man  has  to  the  various  races,  respects  not  so  much  their  color 
as  their  forms,  looks  and  the  character  he  immediately  and  instinc- 
tively associates  with  them.  The  question  of  color  certainly  could 
not  form  part  of  his  objection,  dislike,  judgment  or  favoritism 
toward  those  of  his  own  class,  kindred  or  race.  Hence,  it  is  really 
the  character  of  every  person  we  meet  that  we  are  impressed  by, 
and  at  once  admire  or  despise. 

We  shall  attract  and  be  attracted  by  those  whose  minds,  tastes 
and  characters  are  in  harmony  with  our  own.  If  we  are  good,  we 
shjiU  like  the  faces  of  those  who  are  good,  and  dislike  those  who 
have  bad  expressions.  If  we  are  bad,  we  shall  most  likely  have  a 
secret,  if  noi  open  admiration  or  love  for  tho^e  persons  whose  facei 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  24/ 

express  that  kind  of  wickedness  which  is  a  reflection  of  our  own 
sins.  For  instance:  a  sensual,  voluptuous  and  amorous  person 
would  be  naturally  attracted  toward  another  of  a  similar  nature; 
whereas,  a  refined,  modest,  and  intelligent  individual,  would  not 
only  dish'ke  such  a  person  but  also  the  facial  expression  of  such  a 
character;  but  love  and  admire  those  whose  faces  revealed  charac- 
ters and  minds  like  unto  their  own.  A  man's  face  never  lies;  his 
tongue  may,  because  it  is  simply  an  organ  of  communication  to 
verbally  express  ideas,  but  not  character,  whereas  the  face  is  just 
the  opposite:  it  is  a  silent  time-piece  that  tells  the  story  of  the 
inner  life,  and  just  as  a  man  forms  his  character  will  he  mold  the 
form  of  his  face  and  fix  its  expression;  and  in  proportion  as  the 
character  changes  for  the  better  or  worse,  so  will  the  countenance 
be  improved  or  injured,  for  the  Bible  says,  "The  countenance  is  a 
sign  of  the  changing  of  the  heart."  Therefore,  when  the  heart 
grows  wicked,  rest  assured  that  the  face  will  share  the  same  fate 
and  soon  tell  the  sad  story;  but  when  the  heart  becomes  purified, 
it  will  cast  that  image  upon  the  countenance,  and  make  it  more 
beautiful  and  lovely.  On  this  principle,  then,  can  we  readily  with 
practice  and  natural  talent  distinguish  good  spirits  from  bad 
spirits;  for  the  facial  expression  of  the  two  are  just  as  diverse  as 
their  characters.  How  the  face  of  Moses  shone  when  he  came  down 
from  the  mountain  after  being  in  communion  with  his  Maker.  The 
spirit  of  God  had  so  invigorated  and  electrified  his  spirit  with 
heavenly  influence,  that  it  beamed  through  his  eyes,  and  lit  up  his 
countenance  with  a  divine  halo  that  the  Jews  had  never  before  seen. 
The  face  of  the  Almighty  is  so  awfully  grand,  its  expression  so 
glorious,  and  its  psychological  effect  so  terribly  penetrating,  that 
the  Lord  could  not  permit  Moses  to  behold  his  face;  for  said  he, 
*'No  man  can  see  my  face  and  live."  Hence,  the  good  old  patriarch 
was  permitted  to  see  only  the  trail  or  back  part  of  Jehovah.  And 
if  the  Christians  of  to-day,  and  especially  the  clergymen,  were  to 
live  in  closer  and  more  constant  communion  with  their  Master,  they 
would  not  only  have  better  and  purer-looking  faces,  but  possess 
greater  influence  in  winning  souls  to  Christ.  A  spiritual  and 
heavenly-minded  face  goes  a  long  way  in  convincing  the  ungodly 
of  the  sincerity  of  its  owner,  and  the  truthfulness  of  the  doctrine 
he  advocates.  I  would  almost  as  soon  see  a  monkey  in  a  pulpit  as 
one  of  these  bare- faced;  hair- shingled,  fashionably  ^d  worldly- 


248  HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD  AND  BAD. 

looking  specimens  of  preachers,  whose  very  looks  are  sufficient  to 
keep  men  out  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  in  whose  face  one  can 
plainly  read,  *'  I  preach  for  pay."  And  in  like  manner  do  the  faces 
of  a  large  proportion  of  so-called  Christians  reveal  their  worldly- 
minded  and  hypocritical  natures.  What  a  contrast  there  must  have 
been  between  the  faces  of  Moses  and  Elijah  and  those  of  that  class 
of  Jews  in  the  time  of  Christ,  of  whom  it  is  said  that  "He  perceived 
their  wickedness."  Not  through  his  divine  knowledge,  because 
that  could  hardly  be  called  perception;  but  as  a  man,  he  looked  into 
their  faces  and  read  their  characters  and  motives. 

Different  kinds  of  wickedness  produce  different  kinds  of  facial 
expressions.  A  thief  does  not  look  or  act  just  like  a  mean  old 
miser;  nor  does  a  regular  thief  or  miser  look  like  a  libertine  or  a 
drunkard.  Each  sin  writes  its  own  likeness  on  the  countenance, 
and  so  does  each  virtue.  Faith,  Hope  and  Charity,  each  give  a 
different  expression  to  the  face.  Their  language  is  not  the  same; 
each  has  a  charm  of  its  own  that  will  help  to  beautify  the  face,  but 
all  combined  will  make  the  face  more  God-like  and  lovely.  One 
kind  of  vice  will  also  mar  the  face;  but  two  or  three  vices  in  the 
same  person  will  disfigure  the  countenance  still  more,  and  make  it 
look  devilish.  And  the  man  or  woman,  whether  Christian  or  sin- 
ner, who  wants  to  make  me  or  anyone  else  believe  that  there  is  no 
difference  in  the  expression  on  or  through  the  face  between  virtue 
and  vice,  saint  or  sinner,  may  as  w^ell  tell  me  that  there  is  no  differ- 
ence between  the  Devil  and  the  Almighty;  that  the  former  looks 
just  as  good  as  the  latter;  that  the  angels  of  heaven  would  be  just 
as  pleased  to  look  at  the  countenance  of  Satan  as  the  Lord;  in  fact, 
that  angels  and  fiends  all  look  about  alike  anyhow;  the  only  differ- 
ence being  in  character  and  place  of  residence. 

The  existence  of  good  and  bad  spirits  in  persons  can  be  felt  as 
well  as  seen.  Any  one  with  a  sensitive  nature,  who  makes  use  of 
and  cultivates  that  sensibility,  can  discern  by  the  mere  presence  of 
another  person,  to  say  nothing  about  the  face,  whether  that  indi- 
vidual has  a  good  or  evil  nature.  The  impressibility  and  influence 
of  one  mind  upon  another  is  more  powerful  than  most  people  sup- 
pose or  im.agine;  and  it  is  on  this  principle  that  the  moral  state  of 
every  spirit  is  made  manifest,  whether  it  be  through  the  sense 
of  sight  or  feeling;  that  is,  whether  we  see  it  manifested  through 
the  face  or  feel  it  through  nerve-force  or  sensation.     Through  the 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD  AND  BAD.  249 

subtle  agency  of  human  electricity  or  magnetrsm  every  spirit  throws 
oflfits  emanations.  Or,  in  other  words,  spirits  breatlie  like  bodies, 
and  as  we  can  smell  the  breath  that  emanates  from  the  lungs 
(pretty  bad  in  some  persons)  and  thereby  determine  the  condition 
of  the  physical  life,  wliich  is  in  the  blood,  so  through  the  nerve- 
force  or  electricity  of  the  body  we  can  feel  and  determine  the  health 
or  m.oral  life  of  the  soul.  This  is  where  the  majority  of  people 
make  mistakes  in  judging  of  the  character  of  strangers,  and  some- 
times acquaintances;  yea,  even  their  own  relatives.  They  fail  to 
feel  and  read  these  spirit  emanations  which  are  constantly  passing 
from  the  body  and  flashing  from  the  eyes;  for,  I  wish  the  reader  to 
remember,  it  is  not  simply  the  form  of  the  features  and  face  that  I 
term  physiognomy,  but  the  cast  of  the  countenance;  that  indes- 
cribable something  that  seems  to  dart  like  lightning  from  the  eyes, 
particularly,  and  the  face,  as  a  whole,  leaving  its  impress  upon 
the  mind  o(  the  observer.  To  illustrate:  Two  gentlemen  in  my 
travels  have  met  me  and  requested  the  privilege  of  looking  steadily 
irsio  my  eyes  for  a  few  seconds,  which  I  granted;  and  from  that 
brief  but  searching  glance,  they  accurately  described  my  character 
arid  physical  condition.  To  give  this  art  and  method  of  reading 
character  a  distinct  name.  I  suppose  it  would  more  properly  come 
under  the  head  of  psychology  than  physiognomy,  and  it  certainly 
does  not  belong  to  phrenology. 

Here,  then,  is  the  triune  and  triangular  method  of  reading  char- 
acter, through  the  combined  systems  of  phrenology,  physiognomy 
and  psychology,  which  reduces  it  to  a  positive  and  accurate  science. 
Phrenology  is  the  lowest  form  or  system  of  character  reading,  be- 
cause it  deals  only  with  the  body  or  skull;  though  none  the  less 
important  since  it  is  the  basis,  the  foundation  of  the  whole  man;  it 
is  the  lowest  only  in  position,  in  the  same  sense  that  the  feet  are 
the  lowest  members  of  the  body.  Physiognomy  is  a  step  higher, 
because  it  relates  to  the  features  with  their  accompanying  expres- 
sions and  therefore  dovetails  into  phrenology  and  psychology,  just 
the  same  as  the  trunk  of  the  body  is  the  central  part  connecting 
limbs  and  head.  Psychology  is  the  highest  method,  because  it 
deals  directly  with  the  spirit,  and  is  the  only  science  through  which 
one  soul  can  commune,  see  and  read  the  soul  of  another.  The 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  takes  in  this  science  of  psychology,  or  is 
based  upon  thi?  science,  whichever  way  you  choose  to  put  it     la 


250  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

phrenology,  we  have  three  general  divisions  of  the  brain:  the  animal 
or  lower  organs;  the  intellectual  organs,  and  the  moral  or  spiritual; 
so  in  this  perfect  or  eclectic  science  of  character-reading.  Phre- 
nology treats  of  man's  physical  condition  and  talents  —  that  is,  his 
health,  temperaments  and  adaptation  to  a  particular  calling  in  life. 
Physiognomy  reveals  his  disposition,  cast  of  mind  and  texture, 
while  psychology  unfolds  the  moral  state  of  the  soul  and  its  rela- 
tions to  a  higher  and  future  life.  What  a  science!  How  complete 
and  far  reaching,  and  who  with  as  much  brains  as  a  Hottentot  does 
not  desire  to  know  something  about  it? 

I  believe  that  each  faculty  of  the  mind  has  a  psychological  power 
which  it  emits  through  its  appropriate  organ  in  the  brain.  Just 
how  the  brain  and  nervous  system  throws  off  these  mind  emana- 
tions and  impressions,  I  cannot  tell,  but,  I  have  had  sufficient  proof, 
by  way  of  experience,  to  know  that  it  is  done.  Frequently  I  have 
found  it  almost  impossible  to  speak  with  any  degree  of  freedom 
or  clearness  when  I  have  been  lecturing  to  an  audience,  when  one 
or  more  persons  sitting  near  me  were  not  in  sympathy  with  me, 
but  in  their  own  minds  working  against  me.  Or  if  a  portion  of  the 
audience  were  indifferent,  restless  and  unsusceptible,  so  that  I  could 
not  awaken  any  interest.  It  would  be  twice  as  hard  to  talk,  and 
far  more  exhausting  to  my  brain.  I  can  talk  two  hours  to  a  large, 
appreciative  audience,  that  is  thoroughly  en  rapport  with  me  and  my 
subject,  with  more  ease  and  far  greater  effect  than  I  can  speak  one 
hour  to  a  small,  inattentive  and  disrespectful  audience.  Nothing 
is  so  exhausting  to  a  sensitive  lecturer,  as  to  speak  to  a  whispering, 
restless,  noisy  going-in-and-out  kind  of  an  audience.  No  public 
speaker  can  be  a  success  either  in  the  pulpit  or  on  the  rostrum, 
unless  he  has  the  respectful  and  quiet  attention  of  his  audience, 
and  their  minds  are  working  in  harmony  with  his  own,  or  at  least 
are  in  a  submissive  condition.  Nor  can  an  audience  receive  much 
good  from  the  speaker,  unless  they  remain  passive  and  allow  him 
to  be  positive.  That  is  why  some  men  never  receive  much  good 
from  either  lectures  or  sermons;  they  are  too  positive,  conceited 
and  self-opinionated,  and  therefore  resist  all  impressions  and  influ- 
ence emanating  from  the  speaker.  Neither  will  the  speaker  have 
much  influence  over  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  hearers,  unless  he 
possesses  a  good  degree  of  this  psychological  power ;  nor  is  a 
person  deficient  in  it  really  fit  to  be  a  public  speaker,  especially  a 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  0000  AV©  BaO.  2$  I 

ftiinlster.  Psychological  influence  is  the  secret  of  many  a  great  and 
successful  man's  power.  The  ability  to  warm,  move  and  charm  the 
hardened  hearts  of  sin-stricken  humanity,  requires  something  more 
than  a  mere  fine  rhetorical  and  mechanical  combination  of  words. 
The  soul  must  speak  to  the  soul,  and  heart  touch  heart,  ere  the  will 
can  be  conquered,  or  the  intellect  convinced;  and  this  indescribable 
power  that  draws,  fascinates  and  subdues  the  hearts  of  an  audience 
into  a  teachable  and  docile  mood,  is  that  subtle  mind-influence 
which  we  see  and  feel  radiating  from  the  face  and  person  of  the 
speaker,  or  whomsoever  we  may  come  in  contact  with  possessing 
a  similar  nature.  1  believe  all  persons  possess  some  psychological 
power,  be  it  ever  so  small,  though  they  may  not  be  conscious  of  it; 
others,  however,  know  it,  and  use  it  to  their  advantage  all  through 
life.  Like  a  lady  who  told  me  that  she  had  often  on  entering  a 
room  where  there  were  strangers,  experienced  a  disagreeable 
influence  or  impression,  and  immediately  turned  and  passed  out 
without  saying  a  word.  Some  few  are  a  sort  of  psychological  bat- 
tery that  charge  almost  every  person  they  come  in  contact  with; 
especially  those  who  are  susceptible  to  that  influence.  And  the 
psychological  influence  of  a  really  great,  good  and  heaven-born 
spirit,  seems  to  permeate  not  only  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  a 
community,  but  the  very  atmosphere,  even  after  they  are  dead  and 
buried,  I  mean  they  leave  an  influence  behind  them  that  does  not 
soon  pass  away.  The  life  and  character  of  Roger  Williams  is  felt 
in  New  England  to-day;  and  so  with  hundreds  of  illustrious  men 
and  women  of  all  ages  and  in  all  countries.  But,  alas!  that  this 
same  God-given  power  should  be  perverted  and  made  to  defeat  its 
own  object  when  used  by  wicked,  bad,  designing  men  and  women; 
for  many  a  bad  spirit  has  this  power  as  well  as  the  good,  and  they 
are  not  long  in  discovering  it  either,  and  using  it  to  accomplish 
their  evil  purposes  and  gratify  their  passions.  I  believe  many  a 
young  woman  has  been  tempted  to  sin,  and  led  on  to  ruin,  by  some 
scoundrel  possessing  this  power,  and  I  positively  believe  that  there 
are  just  such  characters  roaming  about  like  hungry  lions  and  scour- 
ing the  country  for  the  sole  purpose  of  seducing  young  women; 
men  who  are  probably  sent  out  and  backed  in  money  by  the  keep- 
ers of  houses  of  prostitution,  as  well  as  those  who  do  it  to  gratify 
their  own  lust.  And  I  also  believe  many  an  honest,  upright  young 
has  been  in  like  manner  led  into  the  coils  of  a  sharp,  designing 


252  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

woman  possessing  this  psychological  power;  so  that  he  who  was 

once  the  pride  and  joy  of  his  parents  and  an  ornament  to  society, 
has  been  compelled  to  flee  to  other  and  unknown  parts  of  the  world 
or  find  his  way  to  the  penitentiary.  Even  children  are  controlled 
very  largely  by  psychological  influence,  and  in  some  respects  far 
more  so  than  adults;  and  it  is  really  the  best  and  most  successful 
means  that  one  can  use  in  their  training  and  education.  Blessed, 
happy  children,  ever  ready  to  give  and  receive;  confiding,  cheerful, 
frolicsome  and  innocent  natures  !  Who,  possessing  as  much  or 
rather  as  little  conscience  as  a  heathen,  could  even  seek  to  harm 
them?  Yet  there  are  some  of  the  JDevil's  imps  of  both  sexes,  and 
souls  polluted  with  lust  and  dyed  with  crime,  who  lie  in  wait  for 
youthful  virtue  and  innocence.  I  know  that  the  hot  passions  of 
human  nature,  made  hotter  by  the  secret  habits  that  both  sexes 
fall  into,  may  and  do  often  produce  a  mental  disorder  or  sort  of 
insanity  that  may  cause  even  good  persons,  in  other  respects,  to 
corrupt  or  tempt  the  young;  and  I  fear  that  many  of  the  rapes 
committed,  especially  upon  children,  are  by  men  who  have  become 
crazed  with  passion  through  the  awful  soul-destroying  habit  of  self- 
abuse.  But  God  pity  the  fiends  and  wretches  who  prowl  around 
like  cats  in  search  of  mice,  seeking  to  corrupt  and  ruin  the  youth 
of  the  country,  either  by  personal  contact  or  by  disseminating  vile 
literature.  A  clergyman  who  had  been  connected  with  public 
schools,  told  me  that  they  feared  something  was  going  on  in  the 
school  of  an  immoral  nature,  and  began  an  investigation;  when  they 
discovered  that  a  number  of  the  scholars  were  subscribers  for  an 
obscene  illustrated  paper,  bad  enough  to  excite  the  passions  of 
every  boy  or  girl  in  the  school,  and  the  way  such  things  would  get 
into  a  school  would  be  by  a  female  agent  going  through  the  school, 
taking  orders  for  some  spicy  story-paper,  and  then  picking  out  one  or 
two  girls  of  a  voluptuous  and  licentious  nature,  make  them  special 
and  private  agents  for  the  whole  school.  Such  agents  are  generally 
sharp  and  good  readers  of  human  nature,  so  that  they  can  readily 
pick  out  such  boys  and  girls.  In  female  seminaries  this  kind  of 
literature  has  been  introduced  through  circulars  sent  to  the  names 
published  in  the  school  catalogue.  Young  people  exercise  this 
psychological  power  also  over  one  another;  like  in  the  case  of  a 
little  girl  whose  parents  I  am  acquainted  with.  A  boy  had  been 
going  out  for  walks  with  her  to  whom  the  father  objected,   and 


HV^Atf   SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  ^AD.  -'53 

Strictly  forbade  her  going  again,  especially  on  a  c  rtain  occasion. 
But  the  boy  or  young  man  came  around,  saw  her  at  the  gate,  and 
after  a  few  minutes'  talk,  persuaded  the  girl  to  go  again.  After  she 
returned,  her  father  gave  her  a  good  whipping,  and  asked  her  why 
she  persisted  in  going  when  he  had  just  told  her  and  requested  her 
not  to  go?  "Well,"  said  she,  "papa,  he  asked  me  to  go."  "Well," 
said  her  father,  "did  I  not  ask  you  not  to  go,  and  how  is  it  that  you 
follow  his  wishes  instead  of  mine.-*"  "Why,  because  I  could  not  help 
going;  "  and  her  father  told  me  that  he  did  not  believe  the  girl  could 
refuse  him.  I  claim,  therefore,  that  the  psychological  power  of  the 
soul  is  manifested  or  comes  to  us  in  two  ways,  viz.:  by  the  sense  of 
feeling,  and  the  sense  of  sight.  Thus,  if  two  persons  of  a  sensitive 
nature  are  sitting  or  standing  near  each  other,  the  nature  and  influ- 
ence of  each  soul  will  be  impressed  upon  the  other;  they  can  really 
feel  the  character  of  each  other,  and  that  is  one  reason  why  the 
spirit  of  attraction  and  repulsion  often  springs  up  between  persons 
when  perhaps  not  a  word  has  passed  from  either;  only  that  they 
have  come  near  each  other,  perhaps  accidentally  or  in  some  social 
capacity. 

I  have  noticed  this  frequently  when  traveling  on  the  cars  where 
circumstances  have  thrown  me  in  close  proximity  to  strangers  of 
both  sexes.  Some  I  would  never  think  of  speaking  to,  unless  for 
some  special  reason;  while  with  others  I  would  instantly  feel  a  con- 
geniality of  nature,  that  there  was  something  pleasant,  sociable  and 
free  in  their  manner,  and  would  accordingly  enter  into  conversation 
with  them  without  the  least  difficulty.  And  this  is  the  experience 
of  a  great  many  others  as  well  as  myself  But  the  sense  of  sight  is  the 
most  ready  and  sure  way  of  interpreting  the  nature  and  character 
of  others,  because  the  soul  speaks  through  the  eyes  in  unmistaka- 
ble signs,  and  the  very  thoughts  and  emotions  are  psychologically 
written  there,  and  it  is  chiefly  by  this  means  that  people  win 
and  control  one  another.  The  teacher  unconsciously  controls  the 
pupil  by  it;  the  business  man  his  employes;  the  husband  the  wife' 
the  wife  the  husband;  the  parent  the  child,  and  I  am  not  sure  but 
in  some  cases  the  child  does  the  parents.  By  its  magic  power  the 
good  spirit  wins  and  saves  others,  and  by  it  also  the  bad  allure  and 
ruin  the  wayward  and  unsuspecting  innocents.  And  this  influence 
is  simply  character  acting  upon  character;  mind  upon  mind;  spirit 
upon  spirit.     Like  the  case  of  a  young  man  in  a  penitentiary,  wh« 


^S4  H0MAN  S^tl^IfS,  GdOt)  AfW  tA^. 

could  not  be  controlled  by  any  officer  in  the  building,  nor  could  he 
even  control  himself.  Finally,  a  new  officer  came  in  charg-e  who 
subdued  and  completely  controlled  him,  and  did  it  purely  by  psy- 
chological influence.  All  he  had  to  do  was  to  look  at  him,  when 
he  would  drop  his  head,  and  cover  his  eyes  with  his  hands  a  few 
seconds.  No  character  can  influence  another  unless  in  some  way 
manifested,  as  in  the  manner  already  described.  Is  it  not  self-evi- 
dent, then,  that  the  character  can  be  read  and  known  through  the 
face  and  nervous  sensation  or  magnetic  impressibility.^  Good 
spirits  must  then  necessarily  make  a  good  expression  or  magnetic 
influence;  and  bad  spirits  a  bad  expression  and  influence,  both  of 
which  can  readily  be  seen  and  felt  whether  for  good  or  evil  on  first 
approach,  and  thousands  of  people  can  bear  testimony  to  this  fact. 
When  brought  in  social  contact  with  some  persons,  I  feel  a  pure 
influence  and  good  inspiration;  with  others,  I  feel  their  influence  is 
for  evil  and  their  society  to  me  would  be  demoralizing.  Such  per- 
sons should  be  left  severely  alone,  unless  one  has  sufficient  positive 
force  to  render  them  negative  and  harmless,  and  even  then  it  is  a 
dangerous  experiment  unless  you  are  right  in  the  pathway  of  duty. 
It  has  not  been  my  aim  or  desire  to  give  a  list  of  the  different 
kinds  of  bad  spirits,  nor  to  go  too  far  into  the  details  of  their  evil 
doings;  because  I  do  not  consider  it  good  for  the  moral  health  of 
individuals  or  the  public  to  dwell  too  long  or  too  much  on  the  dark 
side  of  human  nature  —  to  become  too  familiar  with  its  corruption 
—  lest  they  become  contaminated  and  poisoned  thereby.  Never- 
theless, it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  we  should  all  know  what 
human  nature  is,  its  underlying  principles  —  the  desires  of  men's 
hearts,  and  the  motives  that  actuate  them  —  and  the  good  and  evil 
that  exists  in  the  world;  else  how  can  we  distinguish  between  the 
two?  How  defend  the  right  and  oppose  the  wrong  —  how  protect 
innocence  from  vice,  in  its  various  forms,  if  we  do  not  know  of  its 
prevalence.?  And  how  can  we  choose  our  society,  or  know  in  whom 
to  place  confidence,  if  we  cannot  tell  the  good  from  the  bad  without 
waiting  to  find  out  by  long,  sad,  and  often  too  late,  experience.^ 
We  must,  therefore,  call  to  our  assistance  every  legitimate  means 
of  reading  character  we  know  of.  We  cannot  look  directly  into 
the  naked  heart  or  soul  as  the  Almighty  does,  so  we  must  do  the 
next  best  thing  —  do  as  the  doctors  do  when  they  cannot  look 
inside  of  a  living  man  to  see  what  the  matter  Is — examine  the 


HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND   BAD.  255 

outside  of  him  to  discover  the  symptoms  of  his  malady.  In  like 
manner,  we  can  discover  from  the  outer  man,  symptoms  of  the 
moral  condition  of  the  inner  man  —  the  soul.  But,  like  the  doctors, 
we  must  understand  our  business;  study  and  know  exactly  what 
certain  signs,  actions,  looks,  impressions,  and  influences  mean,  or 
we  shall  make  sad  mistakes,  as  thousands  do  every  day  of  their 
lives.  Bad  spirits  generally  have  a  bad  look  to  their  eyes;  a  sort 
of  dull,  black  or  smutty  appearance;  not  that  clear,  transparent, 
innocent  look,  we  see  in  the  faces  and  eyes  of  children.  Not  that 
we  should  expect  to  see  in  any  adult  the  exact  expression  of  a 
child;  there  will  be  more  mind  and  character  in  the  face  of  the 
former  than  in  the  latter,  but  there  should  be  a  pure  expression 
that  will  produce  a  pure  impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  observer. 
Be  careful,  however,  that  you  do  not  confound  the  signs  of  a  sick 
and  diseased  body,  with  those  of  a  diseased  soul.  Catarrh  and  a 
diseased  liver  will  very  much  affect  the  color  and  expression  of  the 
eyes  and  their  surroundings,  and  take  away  the  clear  and  bright 
expression  that  belong  to  healthy  eyes.  But  the  expressions  im- 
parted to  the  eyes  by  a  sick  body  and  a  sin-sick  soul  are  not  the 
same  by  any  means,  and  can  readily  be  distinguished  by  an  expe- 
rienced eye  and  a  careful  observer.  The  souls  of  good  men  and 
women  so  shine  through  their  faces  that  their  goodness  and  sin- 
cerity can  be  easily  seen,  read  and  felt.  They  give  no  uncertain 
signs,  are  not  two-faced  nor  enigmatical,  but  have  a  plain,  simple, 
frank  and  open  countenance.  Good  spirits  do  not  look  nor  act  like 
cunning  foxes,  cats  and  wolves;  they  resemble  more  the  innocent, 
harmless  lamb,  deer  or  rabbit;  and  the  physiognomies  of  good  and 
bad  men  are  just  as  diverse  as  those  of  the  two  classes  of  animals 
I  have  just  mentioned.  And  as  the  savage  and  cunning  animals  all 
have  different  faces,  according  as  they  differ  in  their  propensities, 
so  wicked  men  have  different  looks  according  to  the  kind  of  wick- 
edness and  private  sins  they  indulge  in.  And  in  like  manner,  as 
the  good  and  docile  animals  also  have  diverse  appearances,  so  will 
good  people  present  different  expressions  of  countenance,  accord- 
ing to  the  good  qualities  and  Christian  graces  that  abound  in  their 
hearts  and  permeate  their  entire  being.  Thus,  there  is  a  diversity 
of  good  faces  and  looks,  and  a  diversity  of  bad  faces  and  looks;  and 
it  is  for  you  and  I,  reader,  to  study  them  and  know  them  for  our  own 
benefit  and  protection,  both  for  this  life  and  the  life  to  come. 


25D  HUMAN   SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND    BAD. 

There  is  a  striking  difference  in  the  looks  and  manifestations  of 
the  same  kind  of  wickedness  or  goodness  in  blondes  or  brunettes. 
Wickedness  in  the  brunette  presents  a  more  bewildering,  fascinating, 
insinuating  and  devilish  expression,  though  often  coy  and  reserved 
in  its  manifestations;  whereas,  in  the  blonde,  it  is  more  bold,  open, 
brazen,  voluptuous,  dazzling,  captivating  and  funny  in  its  manifes- 
tations. The  latter  seems  to  please,  tempt  and  allure,  like  the 
pleasures  of  a  gay  city.  The  former  seems  to  take  you  by  subtlety 
—  to  overpower  by  the  silent  force  of  its  own  passions  —  to  stupefy 
and  draw  you  within  its  deadly  coil  and  grasp,  as  the  serpent  does 
its  victim.  In  the  bad  brunette  you  will  find  more  artfulness  and 
treachery;  in  the  blonde  more  secretiveness  and  common-place 
deceptions,  full  of  little  tricks  and  maneuvers,  strategy,  or  [)olicy 
if  you  please,  to  accom.plish  its  purpose.  In  other  words,  the  bru- 
nette is  the  deeper  and  more  unfathomable  in  design,  roguery  and 
cunning;  quicker  and  more  repulsive  in  action;  more  spiteful  and 
hateful,  retaliative  and  revengeful;  acting  out  the  old  motto:  "An 
eye  for  an  eye,  a  tooth  for  a  tooth."  The  blonde  is  less  passionate, 
less  revengeful,  but  more  shallow;  and,  therefore,  in  the  end  the 
most  dangerous.  The  brunette  being  deeper  and  more  subtle,  and 
at  the  same  time  hot  and  impulsive,  would  naturally  hold  back  part 
of  the  time  in  its  manifestations  of  deviltry;  while  on  other  occa- 
sions, they  may  strike  their  deadly  poisons  instantly,  their  dark, 
forbidding  appearance  may  make  some  afraid  of  them,  and  there- 
fore keep  at  a  respectable  or  harmless  distance.  But  the  blonde 
being  more  open  and  inviting  in  expression,  would  draw  the  unsus- 
pecting victim  closer;  and  being  more  cool  and  less  demonstrative, 
would  finally  allure  them  into  more  deadly  peril. 

I  do  not  know  a  clearer  or  better  way  of  illustrating  the  differ- 
ence between  these  two  classes  of  wicked  spirits,  than  by  calling 
your  attention  to  the  difference  in  the  manner  and  effect  of  the  bite 
of  r^'.ttlesnakes;  the  black  and  yellow  rattlesnakes,  corresponding 
to  the  brunette  and  blonde  characters  I  have  described.  The 
black  snake  will  shake  its  rattle  but  once  and  then  bite,  showing 
its  hatefulness  and  impulsiveness;  but  the  yellow  snake,  a  colder 
and  less  impulsive  nature,  will  shake  twice  before  it  bites,  but  the 
bite  is  more  poisonous.  And  I  would  like  to  know  if  wicked  spirits 
are  not  like  rattlesnakes,  biting  and  poisoning  the  victims  who 
chance  to  cross  their  pathway,  unless  they  speedily  get  out  of  the 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,   GOOD   AND  BAD.  25/ 

way?  And  to  tell  me  it  is  not  necessary  for  a  young  man  or  woman 
to  be  able  to  tell  a  good  person  from  a  bad  person,  is  to  tell  me  it 
does  not  matter  about  their  knowing  the  difference  in  looks  or 
character  between  a  harmless  milk-snake  and  a  venomous  rattle- 
snake; especially  if  they  were  living  in  regions  where  such  reptiles 
abound.  Another  reason  why  wicked  blondes  are  the  most  dan- 
gerous, is  because  of  their  excessive  proneness  to  a  gay,  fast  and 
merry  life,  and  because. they  the  more  readily  break  down  the 
barriers  of  modesty,  self-control  and  restraint,  that  they  may  bask 
in  the  fields  of  wicked  pleasure;  hence,  there  are  more  blonde  pros- 
titutes than  brunettes.  There  is  a  difference  also  in  the  magnetism 
of  blondes  and  brunettes.  I  consider  the  latter  the  most  powerful, 
and  with  a  wicked  spirit  the  most  irritating  to  one's  mind  and  body, 
especially  where  that  kind  of  magnetism  does  not  emanate  from  a 
healthy  body.  I  remember  a  young  lady  clerk  I  once  had  in  my 
employ,  of  the  brunette  type,  but  not  very  healthy.  She  was  a 
regular  battery,  and  I  could  feel  her  presence  in  the  room,  and  it 
produced  in  me  through  her  bad  magnetism,  the  most  peculiar  feel- 
ings I  ever  had;  and  her  influence  was  irritating  and  bad,  for  she 
proved  to  be  a  bad  or  questionable  character,  and  I  afterwards 
discharged  her.  Her  eyes  were  so  fascinating  that  on  one  occasion 
when  a  lady  and  her  husband  called  at  my  office  on  business,  she 
got  the  woman  mad  with  jealousy  because  she  had  drawn  her  hus- 
band out  in  conversation  while  waiting  for  her,  and  the  remark  her 
jealousy  prompted  her  to  make  was,  "that  a  young  lady  with  such 
a  pair  of  eyes  as  she  has  never  ought  to  be  in  a  reception  room." 
The  magnetism  of  a  blonde  is  more  soothing  and  healthy,  and  I 
think  better  adapted  for  healing  purposes,  especially  when  they  are 
healthy  and  a  little  on  the  sandy  complexion  and  pure  in  character; 
but  of  course  the  magnetism  of  no  bad  body  or  soul  can  be  healthy 
or  good  in  its  influence. 

There  are  plenty  of  women  whose  voluptuous  and  amorous 
nature  is  so  forcibly  thrown  off  through  their  magnetism,  that  they 
excite  the  passions  of  men  the  m.oment  they  come  near  or  in  sight 
of  them;  and  there  are  plenty  of  men  who  act  the  same  way  on 
women. 

There  are  other  men  and  women  whose  influence  over  the  op- 
posite sex  is  just  the  opposite,  and  a  woman  of  this  kind  will  always 
command  the  respectful  behavior  and  reverence  of  men,  wherever 


258  HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

she  g-oes  among  civilized  people,  and  will  restrain  instead  of  excite 
the  passions  of  men.  One  half  the  alleged  insults  and  advances 
that  men  make  toward  women,  is  due  to  themselves;  something  in 
their  manner,  looks  or  magnetism,  excites  the  men  and  causes  them 
to  think  themselves  safe  in  making  such  advances. 

Many  women  are  so  born  and  constituted  that  their  sex-nature 
stands  out  conspicuously,  and  that  is  the  first  thing  to  attract  the 
eye  and  attention  of  the  observer,  and  not  a  few  make  it  a  study 
and  practice  to  help  the  matter  along.  They  resort  to  all  the  h'ttle 
arts,  accomplishments  and  fascinations  they  can  devise  to  keep 
their  sex  in  front  —  bang  their  hair  down  to  their  eyebrows  till  they 
look  like  flirts  and  monkeys,  in  order  to  hide  the  intellect,  and 
thereby  heighten  the  charms  of  the  amative  and  mere  animal  love- 
expression.  Whereas,  the  true  and  noble  woman  whose  character 
is  lit  up  with  intelligence  and  spirituality,  keeps  her  sex  behind, 
and  impresses  the  observer  with  her  brightness,  goodness  and 
golden  graces,  and  thereby  inspires  him  with  purer  sentiments  than 
to  think  of  her  as  a  lump  of  nicely  formed  flesh  or  a  mere  machine 
to  gratify  his  lust.  Such  women  shine  on  men  as  angels  of  light 
and  heavenly  purity,  refining  their  love  and  restraining  their  pas- 
sions. They  command  the  attention  and  respect  of  men  through 
their  minds  rather  than  their  bodies  (for  there  is  sex  in  mind  also), 
and  do  not  let  themselves  down  to  the  low  and  cunning  tricks  of 
common,  fashionable  and  coquettish  life.  Happy  day  for  the  world, 
when  the  women  rise  to  a  more  dignified  and  exalted  standard  of 
intelligence  and  spirituality;  then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the  men 
rise  also,  because  women  are  our  mothers.  The  stream  cannot  rise 
higher  than  its  fountain-head.  The  men  are  what  the  women 
make  them — they  mold  their  characters  before  they  are  born. 

The  chief  distinction,  then,  in  reference  to  magnetism  or  human 
electricity,  that  !  would  make  between  the  dark  and  light  or  sandy 
complexioned  people  is,  that  in  the  sandy  the  magnetism  is  hotter, 
more  healthy  and  soothing,  and  in  the  dark,  more  fascinating,  pow- 
erful and  sometimes  irritable.  There  are  also  shades  of  difference 
in  the  characters  of  good  blondes  and  brunettes.  The  good  bru- 
nette's spirit  is  more  positive  in  character  than  the  other,  and 
controls  by  power  and  psychological  influence.  The  blonde  wins 
and  controls  by  its  warmth,  geniality,  sociability  and  affability  — 
it  draws  by  gentleness  and  sweetness;  the  brunette  by  inherent 


HUMAN  SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD.  259 

attraction  and  persuasive  force,  which  it  makes  but  little  effort  to 
impart.  Personally  considered,  the  brunette  is  the  greatest  sinner 
and  the  greatest  saint.  Her  character  is  so  deep,  so  powerful  and 
so  unfathomable,  that  when  she  sins  she  drinks  deep  of  the  cup  of 
iniquity,  and  when  a  saint  she  climbs  high  up  the  ladder  of  piety 
and  fame. 

I  have  thought  how  much  the  human  family  resembles  the 
starry  firmament;  for  as  we  lift  our  eyes  and  gaze  into  the  heavens, 
we  cannot  but  observe  how  each  star  sheds  its  own  light  (or  it  so 
appears  to  us),  and  how  they  all  differ  in  size  and  brilliancy;  so  this 
earth  is  dotted  all  over  with  human  souls,  differing  in  capacity  and 
power,  and  each  imparting  an  individual  influence.  Tlien,  again, 
each  soul  is  a  world  in  miniature,  because  made  up  of  a  number  of 
faculties  which  differ  in  size  or  capacity,  thus  presenting  a  variety 
of  characteristics;  and  I  apprehend  that  each  faculty  through  its 
appropriate  organ  in  the  brain,  throws  off  its  own  nerve-force. 
Hence,  whatever  organs  are  the  largest  and  most  exercised  will 
emit  the  strongest  influence,  and  like  as  that  organ  is  properly  or 
improperly  used  by  its  faculty,  will  its  influence  be  good  or  bad; 
and  just  in  proportion  as  the  most  of  the  organs  and  faculties  are 
rightly  or  wrongly  used,  that  is,  pure  or  impure  in  their  actions  and 
manifestations,  will  the  expression  of  the  eyes  be  good  or  bad; 
because,  I  believe  all  the  faculties  of  the  mind  when  active  look  out 
of  the  eyes  or  are  expressed  there,  especially  the  affections,  feelings 
and  sentiments,  though  it  may  require  an  educated  psychological 
vision,  as  it  were,  to  read  and  detect  their  different  meanings. 
There  is  no  eye  so  pure,  no  expression  so  lovely,  as  that  coming 
from  a  soul  in  constant  communion  with  its  Creator.  No  eye  so 
insinuating,  nor  expression  so  wicked,  as  the  one  under  the  influ- 
ence of  his  Satanic  Majesty. 

The  spirits  that  are  pure  with  God  commune> 
Spirits  that  are  vile  with  the   Devil  are  in  tune. 

I  do  not  say  or  wish  to  be  understood  as  asserting,  that  no  souls 
are  good  except  those  who  are  Christians;  nor  that  all  professing 
Christians  have  good  souls.  A  Christian  is  not  saved  by  his  own 
righteousness,  but  by  his  faith  and  obedience  in  and  toward  a  Divine 
substitute.  True,  if  he  lives  a  consistent  life,  he  will  in  time  develop 
%  good  soul.     §0  ^  man  may  be,  generallv  speaking,  good,  though 


26o  HUMAN   SPIRITS,  GOOD  AND  BAD. 

not  a  Christian;  that  is,  good  toward  his  neighbors,  friends,  and  the 
world  at  large,  though  not  good  in  his  moral  obligations  toward  his 
Maker.  But  the  soul  which  has  naturally  good  qualities,  is  large- 
hearted  and  disposed  to  live  and  do  right;  and  in  addition  to  all 
these  inherited  good  qualities,  lives  in  constant  communion  with 
its  Creator,  will  be  the  sweetest,  the  purest  and  most  angelic  in  its 
facial  expression  and  psychological  influence.  Whereas,  the  soul 
that  is  conceived  in  lust  and  born  in  sin,  and  lives  and  indulges 
in  lustful  pleasures,  if  it  grows  and  develops  all  through  life,  un- 
checked by  any  moral  restraint  or  Divine  influence,  will  write  its 
blackened  character  upon  the  never-lying  face,  and  psychologically 
impress  its  unholy  and  irritating  influence  upon  all  who  come  or 
pass  within  its  range  or  circle. 


^^" 


AN  ACTRESS. 


A  pretty  face,  but  with  more  worldly  than  spiritual  beauty.  The  large,  open  eyeis, 
express  large  and  inherited  soul  capacity.  Has  the  round,  plump  form  and  a  lively, 
happy  nature.  The  round-pointed  nose  indicates  her  to  be  peacefully  inclined,  and  not  a 
scolding   disposition. 


'2.t'2' 


TWO  FORCES. 


1  Tlie  Two  Force*  of  Nature— The  Meaning  of  the  Term  Past— Two  Classes  Represented— 
Appetite  Created  in  the  One  leads  to  the  Other — Abuse  of  Free  will — What  Sin  is— 
Inherent  Principles  of  the  Soul — Action — Lore  of  Freedom — Desire— Love  of  Oppo- 
sites — Curiosity — Acquisitiveness — Two  Things  Necessary  to  Cause  a  Past  Life- 
Temptation  of  Christ  and  Eve — Phrenological  Characteristics  of  Past  Men  and 
Women — Hereditary  Causes — External  Causes  of  a  Past  Life:  Attraction,  Repulsion 
Evil  Suggestions,  Novel-Reading— How  Novels  are  Purnished — Public  Libraries — A 
Laundry  Girl — Scandals — Parents  Responsible  for  the  Dissipation  of  their  Children — 
Evil  of  Advising  them  to  Marry  against  their  Will — How  Elders  of  the  Church  fail 
to  do  their  Duty — Heathen  Caste — Long-faced  Christians — What  Christ  Meant  when 
He  said  to  Peter,  "Feed  my  Lambs" — Fallen  Women — How  they  get  into  the  Palace 
of  Sin  and  why  they  seldom  return  to  a  Life  of  Purity — Sad  Case  of  two  Women  in 
Washington  Jail — Why  there  are  so  many  Prostitutes — Assignation  Houses — The 
Tricks  of  Women  to  Excite  Men's  Curiosity  and  Amativeness — Women  their  own 
Seducers — King  Solomon's  Opinion  Concerning  them — Some  Prostitutes  make  good 
Wives— Why  Woman  is  Woman's  Worst  Enemy — Sly  Past  Women — How  they  Oper- 
Jtte — ^Restaurant  Waiters — The  Undercurrent  of  Society— A  Class  of  Married  Women 
who  are  too  Liberal  in  their  Sentiments— What  Constitutes  a  Fast  Character— Fast 
Men— Causes  of  their  being  so. 


THE  GREATER  THE  PLEASURE  THE  GREATER  THE  TEMPTATION. 

There  are  two  forces  wHcli  keep  the  earth  in  its  orbit,  known 

as  the  centripetal  and  centrifugal;  and  these  forces  seem  applica- 
ble to  human  beings.  There  is  a  path  or  line  in  which  the  soul  is 
destined  to  travel  bj  its  Creator,  and  to  fly  oiF  in  either  direction 
involves  ruin.  Had  men  no  other  object  or  desire  but  to  be  good, 
worship  God  and  devote  their  whole  time  and  energy  to  their  re- 
ligious nature,  or  the  exclusive  use  of  the  religious  faculties,  they 
would  be  yielding  to  the  centripetal  force,  and  men  would  fail  to 
accomplish  their  missions  on  earth. 

When,  on  the  other  hand,  men  entirely  negject  religious  exercise 
and  the  development  of  these  faculties,  they  yield  to  the  other 
force  or  law,  known  to  the  astronomers  as  the  centrifugal.  It 
is  the  yielding  to  this  latter  mental  force  in  man's  nature  that 
leads,  or  rather  carries,  men  and  women  into  a  fast  life — or,  if  not 
fast,  then  a  life  inconsistent  in  some  other  respect. 

In  treating  of  this  subject,  my  principal  aim  will  not  be  to 
mention  particular  or  personal  instances,  but  rather  the  class 
that  enters  most  largely  into  that  kind  of  life,  and  the  circmn- 
stances,  conditions  and  motives  that  lead  persons  into  it. 

To  be  fast  does  not  necessarily  imply  sexual  immorality, 
though  a  fast  life  often,  if  not  generally,  leads  to  that.    There- 


264-  TWO  FORCES. 

fore  the  word  fast  may  be  considered  to  represent  two  classes;  at 

least,  1  propose  so  to  usejt  in^the  present^ treatise. 

Fast,  in  its  mildest  and  most  limited  meaning,  may  be  ap- 
plied to  that  class  of  men  and  women,  and  especially  the  latter, 
who  are  gay,  light-headed,  inconsiderate,  dashing,  extravagant 
in  money,  dress,  manner  and  ideas;  given  to  worldly  amusements 
and  prone  to  high  living,  excess  of  pleasure  and  dissipation;  but 
who  are  not  vicious  in  their  habits,  nor  given  to  vices,  such  as 
drunkenness  and  prostitution. 

The  second  and  more  extensive  sense  of  the  word  includes  the 
latter  class,  who  do  not  *'go  so  far,  and  no  farther"  but  let  the 
reins  of  their  passions  loose,  and  throw  off  moral  and  modest 
restraint.  They  are  in  for  what  they  call  a  good  time,  regardless 
of  the  consequences .  They  adopt  the  m^ottoes,  **  A  short  life  and 
a  merry  one/'  *Xet  us  eat,  drink  and  be  merry,  fv.r  to-morrow 
we  die.'*  Sometimes  persons  will  practice  fast  life  number  one 
without  falling  into  number  two,  because  circumstances  check  or 
prevent  them  from  going  any  farther;  and  sometimes  persons 
through  misfortune  or  willful  determination,  will  rush  into  num- 
ber two  fast  life,  without  ever  practicing  the  first.  But,  generally 
speaking,  those  who  enter  the  first,  find  their  way  into  the  sec- 
ond. The  appetite  created  in  the  first  for  that  exciting  kind  of 
life  and  pleasure  is  never  satisfied,  but  craves  for  more  and  more, 
until  it  leads  its  victim  into  the  hell  of  the  second. 

The  abuse  of  what  is  called  free-will  or  free  agency  is  the 
avenue  to  a  fast  life.  Free-will  does  not  consist  in  persons  doing 
just  what  they  please,  only  so  far  as  their  actions  aiid  choice  is  in 
harmony  wath  law  and  order  and  does  not  conflict  or  intrude 
upon  or  injure  the  rights  of  others.  No  one  individual,  except 
the  Divine  Being,  has,  or  in  the  nature  of  things  can  have,  unlim- 
ited and  unrestrained  free-will.  In  one  sense  man  has  freedom  to 
do  whatever  he  has  the  power  and  ability  to  do— in  the  same 
sense  that  our  first  parents  could  and  did  eat  the  forbidden  fruit. 
They  exercised  that  unlicensed  freedom  by  interfering  with  the 
free-will  and  law  of  their  Maker.  That  kind  of  free-will  is  self- 
destroying,  because  it  brings  the  individual  who  practices  it  into 
a  state  of  bondage  greater  than  their  freedom.  No  created  being 
of  intelligence  can  possibly  have  the  right  of  absolute  free-will. 
Superiority  rules  over  subordination. 

Sin,  then,  is  unlimited  and  unrestrained  free-will,  which  con- 
flict»  wit^  -^^/^  — ^^ority  and  rights  of  others,  or  is  injurio?"  ^ 


TWO  FORCES.  263 

the  physical  and  mental  nature  of  the  one  who  exercises  it. 
Therefore,  fast  men  and  women  sin  against  themselves  by 
overstejjping  the  boundaries  of  free-will,  and  bringing  themselves 
into  bondage,  really  destroying  that  very  condition  of  mind  they 
are  exercising.  To  seek  pleasure  at  the  expense  of  principle  is 
poor  policy;  to  make  the  pursuit  of  worldly  happiness  the  grand 
aim  of  life  is  to  prostitute  the  powers  of  the  mind  and  intoxicate 
the  soul  with  infatuation  and  deluvsions,  so  that  life  is  but  a 
romantic  dream. 

There  are  certain  inherent  principles  in  the  soul,  which,  im- 
properly influenced  and  exercised,  are  incentives  or  causes  of  a 
fast  life.  First:  Action,  perpetual  motion,  unrest.  There  is  a 
restive  desire  in  human  nature  to  be  continualU^  active,  either 
mentalh'  or  ph^^sically.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  perfect  rest — 
that  w^ould  be  death.  Men  must  do  something;  if  not  good,  then 
evil.  Second:  Love  of  freedom,  pride,  prudence,  choice;  an  in- 
clination to  think  and  act  as  they  please  without  restramt;  to  go 
wdiere  they  like,  and  to  do  as  they  like;  love  of  liberty;  a  dislike  to 
prohibition.  If  you  tell  a  person  or  a  child  not  to  do  a  thing, 
immediate^  there  springs  up  a  desire  to  do  it,  stronger  than  it 
was  before  being  forbidden.  It  was  the  love  of  freedom  that  in- 
spired the  early  American  settlers  to  leave  their  native  land; 
hence  the  outgrowths  cf  frceccm,  pcrscrally,  religiously  and  in. 
tellectualh',  in  this  country.  Third:  A  desire  for  whatever 
pleases  the  senses  or  fancy;  desire  for  knowdedge;  that  kind  of 
feeling  which  longs  lor  more,  and  is  never  satisfied,  so  that,  no 
matter  how  much  the  mind  acquires,  of  whatever  nature  it  may 
be,  desire  remains  the  same,  and  makes  men  progressive.  Its 
manifestations  are  seen  in  earh^  life;  show^  a  child,  old  enough  to 
observe  anything,  that  which  pleases  its  fancy,  and  immediateh^ 
desire  prompts  the  child  to  take  to  it.  or  cry  for  it.  The  fact  that 
the  human  mind  is  never  satisfied  with  present  knowledge,  but 
always  seeking  for  more — constantl^^  desiring  a  change  and  some- 
thing new — is  proof  that  we  are  progressive  beings,  created  and 
designed  as  such,  and  we  shall  go  on  investigating  the  universe 
for  ages  yet  nntold.  If  we  had  not  a  spirit  or  soul,  w^e  w^ould 
not  desire  to  know  or  investigate  things  of  a  spiritual  na- 
ture. Our  natures  could  not  crave  to  know  something  about  a 
thing  that  does  not  exist,  any  more  than  our  stomachs  could 
crave  for  lood  if  it  did  not  exist.  Where  there  is  want  or  desire 
on^'     t)ait  ^^  ^-^^^  thi^        -        '    -,  there         ^t,  of  necessity,  be 


266  two  FORCES. 

something  to  satisfy  it  in  some  part  of  the  universe.  Fourth: 
Love  of  diversity  and  opposites  causes  young  persons  brought 
up  in  a  strict,  severe  and  rigid  manner  to  wish  for  a  life  and  as- 
sociations just  the  opposite — makes  beautiful  and  refmcd  women 
admire  and  fall  in  love  w^ith  men  just  the  reverse  physically  and 
in  many  of  their  mental  characteristics,  such  as  bravery,  energ^^ 
boldness  of  the  right  kind,  and  all  those  conditions  belonging  to 
a  masculine  nature;  imparts  a  love  for  change,  contrasts,  and 
whatever  gives  a  sort  of  variety  in  life.  Fifth:  Curiosity- — that 
disposition  to  pry  and  peep  into  things,  experiment,  and  try  new 
objects  of  interest;  to  know^  all  about  w^hatever  appears  strange 
or  funny;  to  become  acquainted  and  familiar  w^th  whoever  suits 
the  idea  and  taste  of  the  individual.  The  morbid  desire  to  see 
noted  criminals  and  the  persons  connected  with  great  scandals 
and  sensations,  arises  from  the  feeling  of  curiosity=  Some  one 
has  said  in  reference  to  the  enjo3^ment  people  seem  to  get  out  of 
scandals  that,  '^half  their  enjoyment  is  in  w^itnessing  the  distress 
of  the  party  charged  wath  the  offense.  If  he  show^s  no  annoj^- 
ance  people  soon  tire,  and  there  is  nothing  more  brief  ard 
evanescent  than  a  popular  memory,"  Sixth:  Acquisition — the 
desire  to  receive  and  own  wdiatever  the  affections  love  and  the 
soul  delights  in.    It  is  the  selfish  feeling. 

All  these  innate  conditions  of  the  mind  are  acted  upon  by  ex- 
ternal influences  and  circumstances  in  a  variet\^  of  w^a^'S,  some 
for  good,  some  for  evil.  All  these  are  the  external  conditions 
which  predispose  men  to  a  fast  life. 

What  I  wnsh  to  have  distinctly  understood  is  that  there  are 
tw^o  things  necessary  to  make  a  man  or  w^oman  fast.  First,  there 
must  be  something  in  their  nature  capable  of  being  influenced 
and  corrupted;  and,  second,  there  must  be  something  of  an  ex- 
ternal nature  to  produce  that  influence. 

If  an  individual  having  no  sin  in  his  nature  was  kept  free 
from  all  sinful  influences,  and  never  saw^  or  heard  anything  evil, 
nor  w^as  subjected  to  an^^  tempter,  he  w^ould  remain  holy.  If,  on 
the  other  hand,  a  pure  person  w^as  subjected  to  all  kinds  and 
forms  of  sinful  influence,  and  there  was  no  element  in  his  nature, 
tio  desire  or  passion  in  the  soul  that  could  be  tempted,  he  w^ould 
remain  pure  likewise.  The  Devil  cotdd  not  tempt  Christ,  because 
there  w^as  nothing  in  him  to  tempt,  but  he  did  tempt  Eve,  through 
one  or  both  of  two  reasons.    Eithei    sht  was  ignorant  of  the 


TWO  FORCES.  267 

character  of  the  Devil  and  sin,  or  there  was  some  element  in  her 
nature  he  could  act  upon,  such  as  desire,  curiosity  or  freedom.  1 
am  inclined  to  think  it  was  a  little  of  both.  She  was  persuaded 
that  the  fruit  was  good  for  food  (and  it  does  not  require  much 
talk  or  influence  to  persuade  some  women).  It  looked  pleasant 
and  tempting  to  her  eyes,  and  she  thought  it  would  make  her 
wise.  This  created  desire,  and  she  took  it.  That  she  did  not 
j&now  the  character  and  artful  design  oi  the  serpent  is  evident 
iTom  her  excuse  for  sinning,  "The  serpent  beguiled  me,  and  I  did 
eat." 

Now,  if  there  had  been  nothing  in  Eve's  nature  to  tempt,  the 
serpent  could  not  have  deceived  her.  Because,  if  she  did  not  know 
Satan,  she  knew  God,  and  must  certainly  have  had  enough  intel- 
ligence to  know  she  was  disobej'ing  his  commands,  and  that  the 
statements  of  God  and  the  serpent  were  contradictor \^;  and  that, 
therefore,  one  must  be  v^^rong.  On  the  other  hand,  if  Eve  had 
not  been  tempted  b^^  external  influence,  \ve  have  no  reason  to 
suppose  she  would  have  sinned.  Christ  was  free  from  both  in- 
ternal and  external  conditions.  He  knew  Satan  and  himself,  and 
was  perfecth'  pure,  so  that  sin  could  not  possibh^  touch  him.  The 
xack  of  self-knowledge  is  the  stumbling-block  over  w^hich  thou- 
sands of  people  fall.  The^^  do  not  know  hovv^  far  a  bad  habit  or 
a  mistake  or  error  will  lead  them  astray. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  mention  the  classes  and  phrenological 
characteristics  of  fast  men  and  women.  Phrenologically,  fast 
persons,  or  those  prone  to  that  kind  of  life,  lack  strength  and 
depth  of  char  cter.  They  are  shallow,  easily  carried  aw^ay  by 
the  current  of  feeling  and  impulse;  have  a  craving  for  light  liter- 
ature, dancing  and  amusements;  are  airj,  light-headed,  and  lack 
a  solid,  practical  kind  of  character.  They  have  generally  strong 
passions  of  some  kind.  In  men,  it  is  either  for  drink,  or  women, 
or  both;  in  women,  for  dress,  jewelry,  theater-going,  fun,  and 
sometimes  strong  passions  for  men.  Approba.tiveness,  ideality, 
amativeness,  and  mirthfulness  are  the  principal  organs,  -with 
only  average  veneration,  organic  quality  and  religious  nature. 

It  is  the  peculiar  temperamental  conditions  that  mostly  de- 
termine their  character.  Persons  with  large  organic  quality 
generally  rise  above  a  fast  life,  no  matter  what  the  organs  or 
temperaments  are.  But  when  the  passional,  caloric  and  bilious 
temperaments  are  largely  developed,  the  temptation  to  a  life  of 
dissipation  and  sin  is  ir  "  ""ig,  and  that  indivir"^"*' 


268  I'WO  FORCED. 

who,  with  such  an  organization  lives  a  pure  and  Godly  life,  is  a 
moral  hero.  There  is  very  lie  tie  honor  due  to  some  persons  for 
living  a  virtuous  life;  because,  possessing  a  cold  nature  and  Aveak 
propensities,  there  is  very  little  desire  for  the  gratification  of  the 
passions  and  appetites.  A¥hen  there  is  strong  love  for  fun,  the 
comic  and  the  exciting  scenes  of  merrj^  life  as  is  found  in  the 
blonde  t^^pe  of  character,  there  is  also  a  great  danger  of  falling 
into  an  evil  life.  Education  has  much  to  do  with  developing  one's 
character.  I  mean  by  education  in  this  description,  that  kind  of 
knoAvledge  obtained  by  everA^-day  life  and  contact  with  individ- 
uals and  society.  In  this  ^va^^  the  character  is  silenth^,  but 
gradualh',  molded  hj  surrounding  associations. 

But  perhaps  the  principal  agency  which  determines  character 
is  hereditary.  Parents  \vho  live  fast  or  reckless  lives  must  expect 
their  children  to  follow  in  their  footsteps.  Mental  as  well  as 
pln^sicai  conditions  are  transmitted  to  offspring,  and  the  reason 
why  children  of  the  same  famih^  differ  so  in  appearance  and  dis- 
position,  is  because  their  parents  were  in  different  moods,  sur- 
rounded hj  din'erent  asociations,  influenced  by  different  circum- 
stances, thought  and  acted  differently,  and  were  actuated  b^^ 
different  motives  and  desires — were  not  in  precise^  the  same 
condition,  either  mentalh^  phj^sically,  or  circumstantially,  previ- 
ous to  the  birth  of  each  child.  It  is  not  even  necessar\^  that 
parents  should  actually  live  a  fast  life  to  impart  that  desire  to 
their  children.  ,  Let  their  thoughts  and  desires  be  in  that  direc- 
tion— let  their  minds  be  given  up  to  a  craving  for  that  fictitious 
kind  of  life,  and  just  as  surely  will  similar  impressions  mold  the 
minds  of  the  children,  and  incline  them  to  a  fast  life,  as  rivers  are 
inclined  to  a  downward,  instead  of  an  upward  course. 

That  the  fundamental  cause  of  a  fast  life  or  disposition  is 
hereditar-\^  onh'  requires  a  little  close  stud^^  and  observation  of 
such  persons  to  convince  any  one  having  ability-  to  perceive  men- 
tal and  physiological  conditions  by  the  appearance. 

Fast  persons  show  it  in  their  physiognomies,  their  actions, 
and  their  manner  of  conversation,  and  that  at  an  early  age,  be- 
fore they  are  out  of  their  teens;  so  that  it  is  evident  that  they 
have  not  had  time  to  form  such  a  character.  But  there  are  some 
in  w^hom  the  disposition  to  a  fast  life  is  not  internal  or  born  in 
them;  they  acquire  it  from  external  pressure  brought  to  bear 
iir»r»n  them-rforce  of  circumstances;  are  led  into  it,  step  by  step, 


TWO  FORCES,  269 

and  especially  by  the  example,  influence,  and  persuasion  of 
others. 

The  external  causes  of  a  fast  life  are  two-fold.  One  class  of 
causes,  b}^  the  power  of  attraction,  draws  persons  into  it;  the 
other,  b^^  repulsion,  forces  and  drives  them  into  it.  The  fascina- 
tions of  a  gay,  merry,  exciting,  pleasure-seeking  life,  with  scarcely 
any  work,  are  too  strong  for  minds  having  any  affinity  for  such 
tilings  to  bear;  hence,  they  become  intoxicated,  lose  their  mental 
equilibrium,  neglect  the  plain,  practical  duties  of  life,  and  drift 
into  the  current  of  dissipation.  The  difficulty  with  such  individ- 
uals is,  that  they  have  not  enough  of  that  ]jenetrating,  perceiv- 
ing, investigating  and  ana^h'tical  cast  of  mind  to  see  into  the 
vanitA',  emptiness,  and  unsatisfAnng  nature  of  these  alluring, 
superficial  pleasures  and  amusements.  The  fashions  of  society 
and  the  st\^le  exhibited  in  high  life  excite  the  organs  of  appro- 
ba.ivencss  and  ideality,  and,  if  the^-  are  the  largest  and  most 
active  organs  in  the  brain,  they  draw  all  the  others  into  subjec- 
tion, so  that  such  a  person  is  entirely  controlled  by  the  action  of 
these  two  organs.  For  such  an  one  to  be  out  of  the  fashion  is  to 
be  out  of  the  world,  and,  in  many  instances,  she  will  do  almost 
anything  to  be  stylish  and  gain  a  position  in  fashionable  society. 
Her  thirst  for  outside  dis  ilay  and  an  easy,  merry  life  knows  no 
bounds  and  some  will  go  so  far  as  to  sacrifice  virtue  and  princi- 
ple to  obtain  what  the^^  desire.  Especially  is  this  the  case  with 
that  clpcss  whose  income  is  not  sufficient  for  expensive  living  and 
dressing.  Fast  persmis  are  captivated  and  carried  away  by  ap- 
pearances;  they  go  by  the  senses  and  not  the  judgment;  they  for- 
get that  all  that  glitters  is  not  gold. 

External  appearances  and  internal  reality  are  two  things 
very  often  as  widely  different  as  daylight  and  darkness.  Many 
people  go  through  the  world  with  their  e^xs  wide  open,  and  see 
nothing  biit  wdiat  is  on  the  surface — never  investigating  facts 
and  causes,  never  looking  behind  the  veil  that  separates  reputa- 
tion from  character.  The^^  are  like  bus}^  bees  in  one  particular— 
they  flit  from  flower  to  flower,  gathering  enough  honey  for  pres- 
ent use;  but  they  have  no  honeycomb  in  ^Affiich  to  st  re  up  for 
future  use.  They  enjoy  the  bright,  genial  daA^s  of  summer,  and 
trust  to  what  thcA^  call  luck  for  the  chilh^  months  of  winter. 
Pluck  is  unknown  in  such  characters.  Th^j  can  not,  or  do  not 
like  to  face  and  encounter  difficulties  and  obstacles  that  beset  the 
pathway  of  persons  of  unwavering  principle  and  perseverance. 


270  TWO  FORCES. 

They  are  human  butterflies,  whose  chief  dehght  is  to  look  pretty 
and  bask  in  pleasure.  The  reason  why  this  class  is  so  influenced 
and  attracted  by  worldly  fascinations  is  because  of  the  tendenc}^ 
of  human  nature  to  live  in  the  exercise  of  the  physical  senses, 
appetites  and  passions  more  than  in  the  spiritual  or  higher  na- 
ture, and  so,  having  a  slight  inclination  that  way,  :hey  readily 
yield  instead  of  resisting  and  figuring  against  the  incHnations  of 
the  flesh.  Self  control  seems  to  be  one  of  the  hardest  things  lor 
human  beings  to  master  and  practice.  KeA-^ertheless  that  is  the 
onlywaA^to  virtue  and  success— to  conquer  self  is  to  save  self 
and  make  self. 

The  ways  of  sin  are  generally  enticing.  The  enchanting  sights 
which  men  behold  are  pleasing  to  the  e^^e  and  agreeable  to  the 
senses.  They  steal  upon  the  mind,  inflame  the  affections,  injure 
the  intellect,  create  morbid  desires,  and  Aveaken  the  whole  moral 
character.  The  aYentics  of  sin  and  places  of  ammsement  are  very 
inviting  in  their  appearance.  They  are  designed  and  arrar  ged 
for  the  very  purpose  of  attracting.  No  expense  is  spared  to 
make  them  alwaj^s  agreeable  to  the  serse  of  sight  and  sound. 
But  it  is  not  those  things  most  conspicuous  to  the  senses  that  do 
the  most  mischief.  The  silent  and  unseen  forces  of  nature  are 
more  powerful  than  those  perceptible  to  the  senses. 

What  put  evil  in  the  mind  of  Eve?  Not  the  sight  of  the  fruit, 
but  the  suggestion  and  insinuation  of  the  Devil,  in  a  gentle,  art- 
ful manner.  What  puts  the  first  evil  thoughts  and  desires  into 
the  minds  of  our  youth?  W'^hat  gives  them  their  first  inclinations 
toward  a  fast  life?  What  makes  them  anxious  to  see  things  and 
places  of  a  questionable  character?  Nothing  but  the  ideas  that 
have  been  suggested  to  them  in  some  manner,  either  by  conversa- 
tion or  reading,  which  aroused  their  curiosity,  set  them  to  think- 
ing, created  restlessness,  awakened  a  desire  to  see  and  hear,  led 
them  to  feel  that  they  were  not  free  and  independent  like  others, 
to  go  and  do  just  as  the^^  pleased,  till  they  longed  for  a  different 
life — one  opposite  in  its  nature  and  character  to  their  present 
mode  of  living. 

Novel-reading  is  the  curse  of  the  country;  for,  if  it  does  not 
instill  an 3^  positive  evil  idea,  it  robs  the  youth  of  their  solid,  prac- 
tical nature,  power  and  strength  of  mind.    They  read  excessively  ' 
and  think  very  little,  so  they  become  mental  babies,   feeding  on 
nothing  but  imagination.    They  never  become  independent  think- 


two  FORCES.  271 

ers — ^in  fact,  they  do  not  know  how  to  think.  They  ke^p  on  feed- 
ing, or  rather  sucking,  but  never  stop  to  digest.  They  craro 
their  mental  stomach  so  full  that  it  cannot  hold  any  more,  and 
finally  impair  their  memories  seriouslj^  How  much  better  oft 
they  would  be  if  they  would  only  read  less  and  think  more(  What 
are  persons  fit  for  who  have  been  reading  something  to  please 
their  fancy  during  that  period  of  life  when  they  are  forming  their 
characters?  These  exciting  love  stories,  highly  colored  hj  the 
vivid  imagination  of  the  writer,  have  been  preparing  the  mind  oi 
the  reader  to  enter  upon  a  fast  life.  And  all  that  is  necessary  to 
cause  such  an  one  to  rush  into  that  kind  of  life  are  certain  kinds 
of  temptations  and  circumstances. 

Where  do  they  obtain  these  novels  to  read?  Why,  our  public 
libraries  and  Sunday-school  libraries  kindly  furnish  them,  helping 
to  make  them  weak-minded,  worthless,  and  immoral  citizens,  and 
useless,  contaminating  members  of  the  church.  Any  library  that 
furnishes  novels  or  light  literature  is  a  public  curse.  I  asked  the 
librarian  of  one  ol  our  large  city  libraries  what  class  oi  books 
were  taken  out  the  most;  "W^hy,"  said  he,  "novels,  novels;  it  it 
were  not  for  novels  w^e  could  not  keep  our  library  open.  Old 
gi  ay -headed  men  call  for  them,  and  the  more  trashy  thej  are  the 
better  the^"  like  them."  Still  I  would  not  in  a  wholesale  way 
condemn  every  novel  and  every  kind  of  fiction,  but  the  bulk  oi  it 
is  much  better  fitted  to  make  a  good  bonfire,  than  to  build  agood, 
thoughtful,  practical  character,  and  even  the  best  and  most  pious 
of  novels  if  read  constantly  will  so  excite  the  imagination  and 
draw  on  the  sympathetic  nature,  as  to  throw  the  mind  out  of 
balance.  They  should  be  read  on  the  same  principle  that  a  per- 
son eats  any  kind  of  luxury  or  takes  medicine.  Watch  the  school- 
girls and  employes  in  our  city,  and  you  will  find-  that  a  librarF- 
book  is  their  most  intimate  companion.  They  carry  them  to 
school,  to  the  workshop,  and  even  to  their  meals.  I  remember 
two  girls  who  were  daughters  of  a  ladj  I  once  boarded  with,  the 
eldest  of  wdiom  did  little  else  but  read  novels,  and  v^henever  she 
would  be  walking  around  the  house,  she  would  have  one  under 
her  arm  or  in  her  hand  ready  for  the  first  leisure  moment.  W^hat 
good  is  such  a  girl  for  a  wife  and  as  a  mother?  She  is  only  fit  to 
raise  up  a  family  of  weak-minded  flirts.  The  younger  girl  on  re- 
turning from  Sunday-school  one  morning,  brought  home  two 
library  books;  one  of  them  w^as  about  Humpty  Dumpty,  and  the 
other.  Tweedledum   and   Tweedledee,  or   some   such   title— nice 


272  TWO  FOftCE^. 

books  for  a  Sunday-school  to  give  out  for  the  spiritual  edification 

of  the  children! 

I  met  a  lady  once  who  said  she  had  read  a  thousand  novels; 
if  so,  she  certainly  did  not  have  time  to  read  much  else,  and  I 
judge  she  had  not,  for  there  was  a  novel  look  on  her  face.  What 
people  read,  as  well  as  what  they  see  and  hear,  help  to  fashion 
their  minds  and  faces.  Great  men  have  traced  the  starting  or 
turning  point  in  their  career  of  usefulness  and  greatness,  to  the 
thoughts  and  silent  influence  of  some  books  the\'  read  in  early 
life.  And  a  good  man3^  blighted  lives  of  bad  men  and  women  can 
trace  the  beginning  of  their  downw^ard  career  to  novel-reading. 
The  chief  objection  to  novels  is,  they  poison  the  mind  and  destroy 
the  taste  for  anything  sensible  and  serious  or  scientific.  Like  a 
girl  I  saw  in  a  laundr^^  one  da^^  She  was  reading  trash^^  litera- 
ture when  1  called,  and  in  a  pleasant  wa\^  I  said  to  her,  "Is  that 
the  kind  of  stuff  you  read?"  "Oh,  yes,"  said  she,  in  a  t  alf-laugh- 
ing  way,  "I  have  to  read  something  to  pass  the  time  away." 
"Well,"  said  I,  in  order  to  test  its  effect  upon  her  mind,  "do  3"OU 
not  think  it  vy."ould  be  better  for  you  to  read  the  Bible  occasion- 
alh^?"  "O.  pshaw!"  she  repliedj  with  an  air  of  ridicule,  "that's 
too  dry;  1  would  go  to  sleep  over  that."  And  that  is  about  the 
effect  light  literature  has  on  the  majority  of  persons  who  have  a 
craving  for  that  kind  of  reading.  True,  there  are  some  who  read 
both  Bible  and  novels,  but  most  of  them  are  like  another  girl  I 
met,  who  was  quite  a  church  and  Sunda^^-school  attendant  but 
likewise  a  novel-reader;  and  knowing  she  had  a  passion  for  such 
books,  T  asked  her  one  day  when  I  sa\v  het  reading  the  Bible, 
how  she  could  get  her  mind  on  that.  "O,  I  often  read  the  Bible/' 
she  said,  "but  1  like  novels  the  best."  Yes,  there  are  plenty  of 
such  who  like  to  read  the  Bible  for  a  change,  or  for  curiosity-.  But 
I  w^ould  like  to  see  or  hear  of  a  single  person,  male  or  female,  who 
is  an  inveterate  novel-reader,  v^dio  prefers  to  read  the  Bible  or 
scientific  works  in  preference  to  novels. 

There  is  another  kmd  of  reading  which  corrupts  the  mind  of 
all  classes,  old  as  well  as  young.  I  refer  to  the  reading  of  scan- 
dals and  reports  of  criminal  acts  in  the  daily  newspapers.  If 
there  is  any  crime  committed,  all  the  horrible  details  of  it  are 
printed,  so  that  ever^-  boy  and  girl  in  the  country  can  become  as 
familiar  with  sin  theoretically  as  any  adult;  and  in  many  in- 
staiice&»  it  is  n*jt  long  before  they  become  practical  performers  of 


TWO  FORCES.  273 

what  they  liave  read.  The  principal  evil]  in  the  publication  of 
these  scandals  and  criiiijs  is,  that  pc^ople  becorae  so  famifiar,  as  it 
were,  with  sin,  that  they  lose  a  portion  of  their  abhorrence.  And 
so  crimes  are  looked  upon  as  every-day  occurrenccSj  and  little 
notice  is  taken  of  them;  that  is,  the\^  fail  to  shock  the  moral  na- 
ture of  people  as  they  would  if  they  were  less  frequent.  For  no 
matter  how  much  we  abhor  a  thing  or  an  idea  at  first,  the 
oftener  we  come  in  contact  with  it,  the  less  objectionable  it 
becomes  to  us. 

Some  persons  become  fast,  not  so  much  hj  the  power  of  at- 
traction, but  rather  b\^  being  driven  into  it,  either  through  severe 
treatment  or  straitened  circumstances  Parents  are  often  respon- 
sible for  the  dissipation  of  their  children.  They  make  home  feel 
to  them  a  sort  of  prison-house  from  which  they  are  glad  to  get 
away,  and  then  they  feel  like  birds  let  out  of  a  cage,  and  are 
liable  to  run  to  excess  in  the  use  of  their  liberty.  Restraint  being 
thrown  off,  they  are  anxious  and  eager  to  see  and  know  what 
the  world  is.  They  seek  the  societj^  of  those  whose  character  is 
questionable,  are  influenced  by  them,  and  gradualh^  lose  self- 
control,  and  in  time  are  led  astray.  Whereas,  if  their  homes  had 
been  a  little  heaven  below  to  them, [they  would  not  have  sought 
corrupting  associations.  When  parents  make  their  sons  and 
daughters  feel  that  they  love  them  dearly,  and  let  them  have  all 
the  innocent  fun  they  want  at  home,  ruling  them  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  thev  will  not  be  afraid  to  speak  or  move  for  fear  of  being 
corrected,  they  will  love  their  homes,  and  be  contented  to  remain 
there  till  dutv  calls  them  away,  or  until  they  have  a  home  of 
their  own.  Young  people  are  continually  told  what  theymust 
not  do,  and  where  the\^  ought  not  to  go,  but  are  seldom  told 
what  they  may  do,  or  where  they  may  go;  and  they  finally  get 
aggravated  and  discontented,  and  are  bound  to  have  their  own 
way,  whether  right  or  wrong. 

Parents  advising  and  compelling  their  children  to  marry 
against  their  will  is  the  worst  kind  of  legalized  prostitution. 
Imagine  such  individuals  begetting  children  when  they  have  little 
or  no  love  for  each  other.  When  parents  beget  children  they 
ought  to  be  red-hot  with  love  for  each  other.  No  wonder  there 
are  so  many  in  the  world  with  mean,  unloving  dispositions— per- 
sons who  seem  to  have  neither  heart  nor  soul' 


274  TWO  FORCES. 

The  older  members  of  cliurclies  fail  to  do  their  duty  towards 
young  people,  and  so  they  wander  into  forbidden  paths,  through 
the  neglect  of  those  who  ought  to  be  more  interested  in  them, 
Young  people  connected  with  churches  and  their  congregations, 
would  not  seek  evil  amusements  so  much  if  the  worthy  elders 
would  help  to  provide  some  innocent  and  real  social  kind  of 
amusement  for  them,  either  in  the  church  building,  or  at  their 
houses,  or  some  other  conYcnient  place;  but  the  trouble  is,  there 
is  a.  sort  of  heathen  caste  existing  among  the  wealthiest  class  of 
church  members,  and  of  course  it  would  defile  their  homes  to 
have  the  poor  members  cross  their  thresholds,  and  so  thcA^  are 
shut  out  to  enjoy  themselves  as  best  they  can. 

Then  there  is  another  class,  who  are  not  wealthy,  out  put  on 
more  airs  than  rich  people  ever  thought  of.  They,  b}-  their 
actions,  say  to  others  whom  they  consider  beneath  them,  but  are 
really  superior  so  far  as  piety  and  ccmm.on  eense  are  concerned, 
^*You  do  not  belong  to  our  clique,  and  aax  won't  associate  with 
you."  There  is  a  third  class  that  are  remarkably  pious  in  their 
own  estimation,  and  if  they  see  a  young  person  even  emile  within 
a  hundred  yards  of  the  church,  they  frown  and  draw  on  a  face  as 
long  as  a  mule's  ear. 

These  three  classes  destroy  Christian  sociaoility  in  all  our 
large  churches,  especiallj^  city  churches.  Hence,  quite  a  number 
are  liable  to  seek  amusement  where  they  ought  not  to,  and  asso- 
ciate with  persons  who  have  no  regard  for  Christianity-.  There 
are  those  in  churches  who  would  do  this  under  an}- circumstances, 
but  the  number  would  be  leesened  if  the  church  exercivSed  more 
real,  and  less  assumed  love  and  friendship.  I  remember  hearing  a 
minister  preach  on  the  duty  of  young  people  to  the  church,  to  the 
state  and  to  society,  but  I  never  heard  him  preach  on  the  duty  of 
the  church  to  young  peoi:)le. 

Christ  said  to  Peter,  "If  you  love  me,  feed  nn- lambs,"  but 
ministers  say,  "Young  people,  feed  the  church,  and  the  Lord  will 
feed  you." 

Nowhere  in  the  New  Testament  have  we  any  account  of 
Christ  putting  so  much  stress  on  an\^thing  he  said,  b^-  repeating 
it  the  third  time,  as  when  he  said,  'Tf  you  love  me,  feed  my 
lambs."  It  was  not  the  love  of  Peter  he  had  in  mind,  so  much  as- 
it  was  the  feeding  of  his  lambs.     Christ  knew  that   Peter  loved 


.7 


TWO  FORCES.  275 

him,  and  Peter  knew  it  also.  But  he  was  not  aware  Avfiat  Christ 
wanted  him  to  do  till  he  thorotighh^  impressed  it  upon  him  by 
appealing  to  the  strongest  power  of  his  nature.  And  so  I  have 
often  thought  that  the  church  has  failed  to  comprehend  as  j^et 
w^hat  its  duty  is  toward  ^^oung  people,  and  toward  those  who 
unforttinateh'  have  stepped  be^^ond  the  borders  of  moral  society-, 
and  upon  a  fast  life.  Churches  and  ministers  make  a  great  effort 
to  save  the  moral  class  of  society,  but  turn  the  cold  shoulder  to 
those  who  most  need  a  helping  hadd.  Wh^^  mam-  of  our  church 
women  would  shun  a  fast  woman  as  though  she  were  a  vi-oer,  in- 
stead of  taking  her  by  the  hand  and  talking  kindly  to  her.  The 
outcasts  of  society  are  the  vcr^;  ones  Christ  was  most  interested 
in,  and  he  always  treated  them  with  peculiar  kindness  and  gen- 
tleness. And,  there  is  really  more  hope  of  saving  one  of  them 
than  a  self-righteous,  fashionable  woman,  who  thinks  herself  too 
good  to  be  lost.  It  is  the  uncharitableness  of  the  church  and  so- 
ciety that  prevents  many  a  fallen  woman  from  returning  to  a  life 
of  purity,  actually  keeping  them  in  the  position  they  condemn, 
because  thcj  will  not  visit  them,  nor  receive  them  back  into  so- 
ciety. It  often  helps  to  drive  them  there,  then  to  keep  them  there, 
and  finally  arrests i:hem  for  being  there.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  all  women  would,  if  the\^  could,  return  to  good  societ^^  or 
improve  their  condition;  but  there  are  thousands  that  would, 
who  are  disgusted  with  that  kind  of  life,  but  remain  in  it  because 
they  see  no  chance  of  bettering  their  condition  financially.  I  re- 
member a  case  where  a  lady,  acting  as  city  missionar^^  among 
that:  class  of  women,  had  succeeded  in  reclaiming,  as  she  thought, 
one  of  the  most  desperate  of  those  characters.  She  took  the 
woman  to  her  own  home,  and  as  long  as  she  was  cared  for  and 
protected  vrith  Christian  influence,  she  behaved  herself  pretty 
well,  but  when  the  missionary  could  not  keep  her  any  longer,  and 
the  woman  could  not  find  a  horn  e  and  nothing  but  a  cold  world 
and  poverty  staring  her  in  the  face,  she  gradually  fell  back  into 
hei  old  life,  from  which  it  is  not  likely  she  will  ever  return.  I  met 
this  woman  at  the  close  of  a  lecture  I  gave  in  one  of  the  Bethel 
Homes.  I  had  arranged  with  the  missionary  and  a  clergy-man  to 
speak  to  an  audience  composed  of  sailors,  and  men  and  women 
from  the  rougher  elements  of  societj^.  After  the  lecture,  this 
woman,  of  whom  I  knew  nothing,  was  sent  up  to  the  platform 


I 


276  TWO  I^BJCBd. 

to  be  publically  examined.  I  described  her  as  having  targe  Ten- 
eration  and  a  strong  devotional  nature,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
verj^  combative,  and  such  was  her  character.  She  could  pray, 
or  fight  Hke  a  tiger,  and  had  been  through  more  than  one  battle 
w^ith  tlie  police,  making  it  prett^^  lively  work  for  them  to  arrest 
her.  Many  of  them  have  never  been  brought  up  to  work,  or 
taught  anything  by  v^hich  they  can  make  their  living.  Their 
parents  w^ere  afraid  they  w^ould  soil  their  hands  and  be  spoiled 
for  pirno  purposes,  or  for  appearance  in  society,  so  the3^  were 
brought  up  vrith  a  silver  spoon.  But,  unfortunately,  the  sun  of 
prosperity  ceased  to  shine  on  them — adversity  came — pOA'crty 
stared  them  in  the  face — and  so  they  adopted  the  life  of  a  prosti- 
tute. 

In  the  Washington,  D.  C.  jail,  was  a  young  w^oman  of  good 
appearance,  who  expressed  a  desire  to  reform.  A  lady  who  was 
interested  in  the  reform  of  criminals  and  labored  for  that  purpose 
was  sent  for.  She  talked  to  the  v.^oman  and  arranged  to  take 
her  to  her  own  home.  But,  alas!  she  could  not  control  herself, 
much  less  the  fallen  girl.  She  had  not  long  been  in  the  lady's 
house  before  that  old,  devilish, green-ei^ed  monster,  jealousy,  took 
possession  of  her  heart,  all  because  her  husband,  a  good  man, 
occasionally  talked  in  a  social  way  to  the  woman,  before  his  wife, 
in  order  to  make  her  feel  at  homic  and  contented.  So  she  turned 
the  girl  out  of  the  house,  who,  being  discouraged  and  evidently 
losing  confidence  in  ever^^body,  soon  found  her  way  back  to  jail 
again»  The  reform  ladj'-  really  did  the  young  woman  an  injury- 
making  her  last  career  worse  than  the  first.  Jealous  people  need 
«iome  pOAver  to  reform  them,  before  they  begin  to  doctor  the  souls 
of  others. 

Sometimes  parents  drive  their  own  children  into  disreput- 
aole  lives,  or  help  keep  them  there  when  they  are  in  it.  Like 
tne  case  of  another  jo\mg  lady  in  a  Washington  jail.  Her 
sister  had  died,  and  she  was  permitted  to  go  to  her  home 
and  see  her.  Her  father  had  been  a  drinking  man,  but  for  a 
year  had  quit.  The  occasion  was  sad,  the  scene  affecting,  as 
over  the  dead  body  of  her  sister  she  faithfulh^  promised 
Der  mother  she  w^ould  make  one  more  effort  to  reform 
and  become  reconciled  to  her  father,  when  she  got  clear 
oi    the   difficulty  she  was   then  in,    *'But,  she  added,    **if  ever 


father  throws  my  past  life  tip  to  me  again,  as  he  has  done  before, 
I  will  leave  and  never  return!"  That  is  what'  keeps  many  a 
woman  from  reforming;  the  frequent  allusion  to  and  censuring 
for  past  offenses,  either  by  her  parents  or  acquaintances.  That  is 
what  makes  it  so  hard  and  almost  impossible  for  such  a  person  to 
reform  in  the  town  or  city  where  she  was  brought  up,  because, 
even  if  no  person  says  anything  to  her,  she  naturalh^  thinks  that 
every  person  she  meets  looks  upon  her  as  a  prostitute  or  thief,  or 
whatever  she  has  been  guily  of,  just  as  the  guilty  conscience  of  a 
criminal  at  largemakes  him  imagine  ever\^little  bush  on  the  road- 
side is  a  policeman.  Hence  the  best  thing  for  a  fallen  woman  to 
do  (or  man  either)  when  she  leaves  a  jail  or  house  of  prostitu- 
tion, and  wishes  to  mend  her  ways,  is  to  start  off  immediately  to 
some  distant  place  where  she  is  not  known. 

And  it  is  in  such  cases  that  the  mean,  low,  selfish,  unfeeling, 
yea,  fiendish  nature  of  some  men  come  to  light.  For  these  very 
men,  and  society  young-bloods  who  boast  of  their  famih^  con- 
nections, and  have  often  been  the  cause  of  the  downfall  of  respect- 
able young  women,  are  the  ver^^  first  to  stigmatize  and  point  the 
finger  of  guilty  recognition  at  her  "when  they  see  her  trying  to 
find  her  way  back  into  society.  Instead  of  trying  to  help  the  one 
they  have  ruined,  or  give  her  a  chance  to  help  herself  back  to  the 
path  of  virtue,  they  do  all  they  can  to  push  her  on  to  destruction. 

Some  enter  the  place  of  sin  on  account  of  matrimonial  diffi- 
culties, either  through  disagreement  or  desertion.  A  large  num- 
ber find  their  way  there  through  seduction  and  disappointment. 
They  loved  their  enemies  better  than  themselves  or  their  owm 
virtue.  These  classes  are  deserving  of  pit^^  for  two  reasons:  First, 
they  are  the  victims  of  misplaced  confidence;  and,  second,  it  is  the 
nature  of  women  to  lean  or  depend  upon  man  for  support,  and 
they  have  little  courage  or  pluck  to  go  out  into  the  world  and 
make  their  way  through  every  conceivable  difficulty  that  they 
have  never  before  encountered.  Then  there  is  a  natural  shame 
ielt  in  facing  their  friends  and  acquaintances  after  they  have  once 
fallen  and  it  has  become  known;  and  so,  as  a  man  takes  to  drink 
to  drov^n  his  troubles,  they  take  to  a  life  of  prostitution,  or  else 
live  v^ith  some  man  who  v^ill  keep  them.  They  likewise  look  upon 
that  kind  of  life  as  the  easiest  way  to  make  a  living;  and  the  in- 
ducements held  out  to  them  by  the  keepers  of  these  house»  are 


278  TWO  FORCES. 

very  strong  and  tempting,  and  so  the\^  leap  into  the  dark  uncer- 
tainty. But  the  greatest  inducement  and  temptation  to  a  fast 
life  is  money.  There  is  a  large  class  of  women,  as  well  as  men, 
who  will  do  almost  anything  for  money  and  dress.  They  will 
part  with  honor,  virtue  and  principle  for  an  easy,  stylish  and  vol- 
uptuous kind  of  life.  For  this  class  there  is  very  little  hope.  They 
have  no  inclination  to  reform,  because  they  make  it  a  business — 
and  generally  a  paying  one,  so  far  as  money  is  concerned.  It 
could  not  be  otherwise  than  paying  when  the  business  men  of  the 
city,  and  mostly  the  married  ones,  liberalh^  support  them. 

One  woman  in  Chicago  took  in  eleven  thousand  dollars,  by 
keeping  an  assignation  house,  the  first  year  she  opened.  And 
some  of  the  high-toned  houses  of  ill-fame  are  the  most  elegantly 
furnished  in  the  city.  So,  if  it  v/ere  not  for  the  mone^^  made  by 
prostitution,  there  would  not  be  half  the  number  in  the  business. 
There  are  a  few  who  become  sporting  women  through  passion 
and  a  natural  desire  to  lead  a  fast  w^oman's  life.  But  they  are 
exceptions,  and  not  the  rule;  for  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
fast  women  are  so  passionately  fond  of  men  as  to  cause  them  to 
seek  such  a  life  for  sexual  pleasure  and  gratification.  The  amat- 
ive passion  is  not  so  strong  in  women  as  it  is  in  men;  hence 
women  are  naturally  more  virtuous  than  men  and  less  passion- 
ate. Hence,  also,  one  cause  of  prostitution  is  the  excessive  de- 
m.ands  of  men,  through  their  unrestrained  amativeness  and  the 
jdelding  disposition  of  women,  and  their  desire  for  dress  and 
money.  But,  as  I  have  said,  there  are  women  who  have  a  large 
amount  of  amativeness — more  than  they  know  hoAV  to  take  care 
of— and  finalh^  it  leads  them  to  ruin.  There  has  been  more  than 
one  Cleopatra  in  the  world,  and  it  is  quite  likelj^  there  will  be  a 
great  many  more.  Fortunately  for  the  moral  welfare  of  the  race, 
nature  or  the  God  of  nature  has  provided  a  means  in  the  organi- 
zation of  woman,  b^^  which  her  sexual  impulses  are  kept  in  sub- 
jection without  resorting  to  carnal  intercourse  v^4th  men. 

Women  are  very  often  their  own  seducers.  Thej^  tempt  men 
by  their  facinations,  look,  manner  and  actions,  in  the  house,  and 
even  on  the  streets,  sometimes  just  for  fun  or  to  see  how  much  in- 
fluence they  have;  but  their  fun  often  terminates  in  a  sad  realit}-. 
Women  are  mental  seducers,  and  men  the  physical;  for  a  desire  or 
conception  in  the  mind  alwa3^s  precedes  the  physical  act.  That 
is,  in  any  kind  of  seduction,  the  amative  feeling  in  man  is  excited 


TWO  FORCES.  279 

by  the  woman;  and  it  makes  no  difference  whether  it  is  done  con- 
sciously or  intentionally,  or  otherwise,  the  effect  is  all  the  same, 
it  is  evident  that,  in  many  cases,  they  try  to  w^ork  on  the  amative 
natures  of  men  by  their  shrewd,  cunning  arts  of  bewitchery;  and 
they  generally  do  it  in  such  a  manner  that  no  one  would  suspect 
them  of  intentionally  doing  it — at  any  rate,  chat  is  the  impres- 
sion they  wish  to  convey  to  the  minds  of  men. 

I  have  noticed  at  summer  resorts,  especially  a  fashionale 
watering  place  like  Long  Branch,  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  some 
women  to  wash  and  dress  themselves  with  their  v/indows  or 
doors  partly  open  or  so  fixed  that  an^-  person  passing  could 
hardly  help  seeing  inside.  I  remember  at  one  of  the  large  hotels 
there,  a  woman  whose  room  was  on  the  ground  floor  facing  the 
front  piazza,  where  everybod\^  promenaded  up  and  down,  who, 
every  afternoon  from  three  to  four  o'clock,  when  she  had  or  made 
occasion  to  change  her  dress  and  vv^ash,  would  leave  her  shutters 
so  that  outsiders  could  see  in.  In  one  sense  there  was  no  harm  in 
it,  in  another  there  was.  As  far  as  the  mere  exposing  of  her  arms 
and  shoulders,  that  of  itself  was  harmless;  but  it  was  the  sudden, 
artful  way  in  which  it  was  done;  it  flashed  upon  the  eje  of  the 
observer  as  a  surprise,  and  at  once  aroused  his  curiosity  and  de- 
sire to  see  more.  It  was  privacy  and  public.  I  have  no  doubt 
but  some  of  them  do  this  innocently  and  thoughtlessly;  that  is, 
without  any  desire  to  attract  or  work  upon  the  feelings  a,nd  im- 
pulses of  men.  But  there  are  others  who  do  it  on  purpose  with  a 
motive  behind  the  act;  either  through  a  spirit  of  vanity  to  partly 
show  their  forms,  or  to  excite  the  curiosity  and  passions  of  men. 
Just  as  in  the  case  of  another  woman  at  Long  Branch,  who  I 
ventured  to  speak  to  on  the  subject,  and  finally  asked  her  if  she 
did  not  think  some  of  them  did  so  intentionally.  ^'Why,"  said 
she,  "certainl^^;  I  was  taking  a  sponge  bath  one  afternoon  in  my 
room,  with  the  shuttrs  closed  but  the  slats  open,  when  two  gen- 
tlemen drove  b^^  and  looked  up  and  caught  a  glance  of  me.  They 
arove  on  a  few  yards,  then  wheeled  around  and  drove  past  again; 
but  just  before  they  got  opposite  my  window  I  closed  the  slats.'* 
T  asked  her  why  she  closed  them  after  leaving  them  open  in  the 
first  place.  "  Wh3%"  said  she,  '*to  make  them  all  the  more  crazy." 
i  remember  a  married  lady  in  Saratoga,  who  was  rooming  on 
the  same  floor  with  myself;  her  husband  was  away  most  of  the 


280  two  FORCES, 

time.    I  had  to  pass  her  room  in  going  to  my  own,  and  I  became 

at  last  reall}^  annoyed  in  finding  her  always  closing  her  door  just 
as  I  passed  it,  though  she  could  hear  mj  footsteps  on  the  stairs 
in  plenty  of  time  to  have  closed  it  before  I  passed.  Sometimes 
she  would  leave  her  door  ajar  and  be  standing  in  her  night-dress. 
Finally,  I  asked  another  married  lad_v  in  the  house  if  she  could 
give  any  reason  why  such  a  person  alwa3^s  shut  her  door  as  I 
passed;  said  I,  there  must  be  something  ^vrong.  ''O,"  said  she, 
"you  are  too  observing;  women  do  not  think  anything  about 
such  things."  But  I  judged  afterw^ards  that  somebody  did  think 
on  the  subject,  for  there  w^as  no  more  manceuvering  w^th  the 
door;  and,  w^hat  was  greatly  to  my  surprise,  the  two  women  be- 
came suddenly  intimate,  w^ent  out  walking  together  and  w^ere 
fast  friends.  Well  may  Macaule^^  remark:  "History'  proves  that 
although  woman  possesses  noble  impulses  and  approaches  the 
angels,  yet  when  yielding  to  a  master  passion  she  is  capable  of  a 
refinement  of  wickedness  which  men  never  attain." 

And  -t  has  been  said  that  all  the  great  good  things  in  relig- 
ion, politics  and  art  that  have  been  produced  in  France  for  the 
last  hundred  years,  have  been  inspired  b3^  a  woman. 

Some  women  want  to  be  seduced.  A  A^oung  girl,  about  fifteen 
or  sixteen  3^ears  of  age,  on  being  asked  how^  she  came  to  be  se- 
duced, replied,  ''Because,  I  w^anted  to  be."  Another,  in  speaking 
about  the  man  who  employed  her  before  she  became  fast,  said, 
•'I  used  to  hate  him,  because  he  didn't  take  liberties  with  me  and 
try  to  seduce  me."  I  mention  these  facts  not  out  of  any  disre- 
spect for  w^omen^  or  because  I  believe  this  to  be  the  general  or 
natural  character  of  women,  but  to  shov^  that  men  are  not  al- 
w^a^'S  to  blame  for  the  seduction  and  ruin  of  3^oung  w^omen,  and 
ruin  of  3  oung  women,  and  because  there  are  some  persons  in  the 
world  who  w^ould  have  the  public  believe  that  woman  is  the 
most  abused  creature  on  earth — that  she  is  an  angel,  and  man  a 
villain,  so  far  as  the  sexual  question  is  concerned. 

Solomon  charges  women  with  being  seducers  rather  than 
men;  and  he  certainl3^  ought  to  know;  that  is,  if  experience  and 
acquaintance  wdth  persons,  things  and  subjects  has  an3^thing  to 
do  with  adding  to  one's  knowdedge. 

Prostitutes  w^ho  have  not  dissipated  too  much  occasionally 
make  good  wives,  because,  having  sinned,  they  are  not  easily  led 


TWO  FORCES.  iSl 

astray  again,  and  they  arc  contented  to  have  a  quiet  home  of 
their  own.  In  fact,  many  would  be  happy  to  marry  a  respectablt 
man,  and  forever  bid  adieu  to  their  fast  life,  which  has  been  so 
repugnant  to  them.  The  keeper  of  one  of  the  low  concert  halls 
of  New  York  Cit3^,  married  one  of  the  girls  of  his  place.  She  not 
only  reformed  herself,  but  made  a  much  better  man  of  him.  The 
woman  of  Samaria  had  a  better  heart  and  disposition  than 
many  others  whose  moral  characters  were  better  than  hers.  So 
long  as  a  woman  does  not  drink  there  is  a  chance  to  reform  her, 
but  when  she  becomes  a  regular  drunkard  her  case  is  hopeless.  A 
gentleman  connected  with  the  House  of  Industry  and  Reform,  at 
the  Five  Points,  in  New  York,  told  me  he  never  knew  of  a  drunk- 
en woman  being  permanently  reformed.  Do  what  you  may,  they 
will  sooner  or  later  fall  back  to  their  old  habits,  and  take  to 
drink  like  a  thirsty  stag  to  the  water. 

There  are  different  grades  of  sporting  women*  they  are  not 
all  low  and  vulgar.  Some  of  them  come  from  the  best  families  in 
the  land,  are  well  educated,  and  are  perfect  ladies  in  every  other 
respect  They  are  there  through  misfortune  of  some  kind,  and 
very  often  unknown  to  their  family  and  friends.  Many  a  woman 
leaves  her  hom-e  and  gives  her  friends  to  understand  she  is  visit- 
ing some  acquaintance  in  another  place,  or  engaged  in  some  re- 
spectable business;  when,  in  reality,  she  is  board  ng  at  a  house  of 
ill-fame,  or  has  rented  a  room  where  she  can  receive  company,  or 
is  living  for  a  time  with  a  strange  man.  After  a  while  she  returns 
home,  and  conducts  herself  as  usual,  none  being  any  the  wiser. 
But  she  soon  feels  like  visiting  again,  or  getting  another  situa- 
tion, and  so  continues  coming  and  going  till  her  actions  excite 
suspicion,  and  she  becomes  the  subject  of  general  talk.  Still  none 
can  make  a  positive  charge  against  her,  and  she  becomes  bold, 
defiant  and  indifierent,  till  finally  she  throws  off  the  vail,  and 
appears  before  society  in  her  true  colors. 

Occasionally  the  young  girls,  in  large  cities,  will  make-believe 
and  deceive  their  friends,  bj^  not  leaving  the  city  at  ail.  They 
take  the  cars,  but  get  off  at  the  first  station,  and  return  on  the 
next  train,  and  then  get  lodgings  in  some  other  portion  of  the 
city,  and  it  is  difficult  for  their  friends  to  find  them,  because  the 
person  they  live  with,  or  rent  rooms  of,  are  not  likely  to  answer 
any  questions  that  would  lead  to  their  discovery. 

So  far  as  this  vice  is  concerned,  woman  is  her  bitterest  enemy. 


282  TWO  FORCES. 

Those  in  the  better  class  of  society  look  down  tipon  those  who 

have  fallen  with  utter  contempt,  rather  than  with  a  spirit  of 
charit}'  and  pity.  Some  regard  them  with  a  sort  of  righteous 
indignation,  which,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  right.  But  I  suppose 
the  reason  some  women  feel  so  intenselj^  bitter  against  prosti- 
tutes is,  because  thQy  think,  or  perhaps  know,  that  their  hus- 
bands or  friends  visit  these  women.  Then  there  is  a  sort  of  jeal- 
ous feeling,  because  they  cannot  occasional!}^  step  off  the  track, 
and  do  as  other  fast  women  do,  and  go  where  fast  men  go,  with- 
out exposing  themselves;  though  some  break  through  this  bar- 
rier and  run  the  risk,  and  then  ill-feeling  to  ward  this  class  becomes 
modified. 

A  crusade  'was  waged  against  the  houses  of  prostitutisn  in 
New  York,  some  years  ago,  if  I  remember  right,  and,  after  the 
work  was  fairly  inaugurated,  it  suddenly  stopped,  for  the  reason 
that  the  women  met  their  ov^m  husbands  or  sons  in  these  places, 
and  of  course  their  tongues  were  sealed.  A  city  missionary^  lady 
told  me  that,  on  calling  at  one  of  these  houses  one  day  to  teilk  to 
the  inmates,  she  read  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  board  of  man- 
agers of  the  organization  she  represented.  She  had  only  read  the 
second  or  third  before  one  of  the  girls  spoke  up,  *'We  know  him." 
The  missionary  blushed  and  hesitated  for  a  moment,  then  began 
to  read  some  more  names;  in  a  moment  another  girl  spoke  up, 
**We  know  him,  too."  Suffice  to  say  she  did  not  save  many  eouls 
in  that  house.  On  another  occasion  in  another  citj  she  called  at 
a  high-toned  house,  and  the  landlady  met  her  in  the  hall  or  par- 
lor and  :old  her  that  she  need  not  come  there  to  talk  to  her  girls 
about  religion  when  one  of  the  leading  church  women  in  the  city 
and  her  daughter  came  to  her  house  when  the^^  wanted  to  make 
a  little  money.  These  are  sad  and  serious  statements  to  make, 
but  they  are  true,  nevertheless. 

Fast  women  on  the  sl\^  abound  in  all  classes  of  society-,  from 
the  servant  girl  up  to  the  wf  althy  mistress,  with  the  church  not 
excepted.  Single  women  of  this  stamp,  in  ordinary  circumstan- 
ces, generally  obtain  pi  sitions  in  some  light,  respectable  employ- 
ment, either  in  offices  as  clerks  or  copyists,  or  as  salesladies  in 
some  dry  goods  or  notion  stores.  Wages,  to  this  class,  are  not 
so  much  an  object  as  some  respectable  em plo^anent,  to  take  away 
all  suspicion.  ThQj  in  time  form  an  acquaintance  with  gentle- 
men iristting  for  business  purposes,  and  so  »iake  appointm^tits 


-^ 


This  may  be  considered  a  modified  form  of  the  Grecian  nose.  The  original  Grecian 
nose  comes  from  or  resembles  the  Egyptian,  and  differs  chieHy  from  tliis  in  tliat  it  forms  a 
straight  line  with  the  forehead;  whereas,  in  the  above  cut,  t'.iere  is  a  break  or  depression 
between  the  upper  pa  t  of  the  nose  and  the  frontal  sinus,  which  makes  it  more  graceful 
and  beautiful.  An  c>.\sthetical  nature  is  generally  found  witli  the  above  form  of  nose,  and 
is  what  I  consider  a  perfect  form  for  the  female  nose.  Tiie  accompanying  eye  is  also 
beautiful  and  modest  in  its  expression. 


dntside.    These  parties  can  generally  give  the  vefy  best  kmd  of 

references  from  good  society,  such  as  business  men,  chnrch  mem- 
bers and  ministers.  They  either  make  a  ])iisiness  of  getting  ac- 
quainted and  associating  with  first-chiss  society,  or  else,  as  is 
often  the  case,  they  were  connect  with  it  before  they  became  fast; 
hence  they  either  borrow  or  retain  their  repntation  and  good 
name  from  other  persons,  and  many  of  them  are  so  deep  and 
shrewd  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  find  them  out.  They  find 
their  way  into  the  most  fashionable  society  in  the  oitj,  A  gen- 
tleman giving  a  grand  party  at  his  residence  on  one  of  the  princi- 
pal avenues  of  Chicago,  received  among  his  guests  one  of  this 
class,  though,  I  presume  unknown  to  him.  They  visit  the  best 
hotels  in  the  city,  take  rooms  there,  and  carry  on  their  business 
whenever  convenient;  or  the^^  w411  visit  gentlemen  at  their  rooms 
in  these  hotels  by  driving  there  in  carriages. 

It  is  an  indisputable  fact  that  many  of  the  finest  and  most 
prominent  buildings  in  the  business  portion  of  Chicago  have 
more  or  less  of  these  women  in  them,  and  they  invariably  give 
first-class  references  when  they  apyh^  or,  what  is  often  the  case, 
room  with  a  man,  and  pass  as  his  wife.  Indeed,  a  stranger 
hardly  knows  now-a-daA^s  into  what  kind  of  a  place  he  is  going 
when  he  takes  a  room  or  board.  I  boarded  for  two  or  three 
weeks  with  a  fine  old  eastern  lady  who  prided  herself  on  having 
very  nice  people  in  her  house,  but  I  discovered  before  I  left  that 
two  of  her  female  boarders  were  questionable  characters,  and  t  y 
reasons  for  so  judging  them  ^^as  their  immodest  actions  and  ex- 
posure of  the  person  of  one  of  them  in  a  public  place.  On  an- 
other occasion  I  wanted  to  lay  over  for  a  month  and  prepare 
some  manuscript.  I  was  a  stranger  in  the  cit^^  and  after  trying 
one  of  the  hotels  and  finding  it  was  little  better  than  an  assigna- 
tion house,  I  inquired  for  aboarding  house  and  w^as  recommended 
to  one.  I  engaged  room  and  board,  and  thought  I  was  going  to 
be  comfortable  and  happy.  I  saw  there  was  a  number  of  lady 
boarders  when  I  went  into  the  dining  room.  On  making  in- 
quiries, I  was  informed  that  three  or  four  of  them  were  married, 
one  wa.s  divorced,  and  the  others  had  husbands  away.  A  few 
days  passed  and  I  began  to  think  the  husband  story  was  a 
doubtful  one.  A  pretty  little  blonde  roomed  immediately  oppo- 
site to  me,  and  from  a  remark  she  made  I  began  to  investigate 
matters.    I  noticed  she  had  a  doctor  who  called  every  three  or 


286  TWO  FORCES. 

four  days.    The  second  time  he  came  I  concluded  he  was  a  pecul- 

iar  kind  of  doctor,  and  notwithstanding  she  had  a  medicine 
bottle  in  the  dining  room  from  which  she  took  a  dose  before 
eating,  I  concluded  the  doctor  business  was  all  a  blind — a  mere 
make-believe.  A  little  further  investigation  proved  beyond  a  pos- 
sible doubt  that  she  was  a  sly  fast  Tsroman,  and  probably  two  or 
three  of  the  others  also.  Still  further  inquiries  revealed  the  fact 
that  the  landlady  ivas  living  with  a  man  unlawfully,  and  had 
one  child  by  him  ivhich  was  in  the  house. 

Sly  married  women  can  be  found  anywhere  and  everywhere, 
in  all  classes  and  circles  of  society,  but  especially  among  the 
upper  classes  who  live  in  affluence  and  ease,  and  whose  husbands 
bestow  part  of  their  affections  and  vital  force  on  other  women, 
Such  women  often  suffer  matrimonial  starvation,  and  it  is  no 
wonder  they  become  last,  if  they  have  a  good  share  of  amative- 
ness  and  a  desire  for  pleasure.  On  the  other  hand,  men  marr^^ 
women  who  are  worthless  as  wives,  and  their  strong  amative 
natures  incline  them  to  form  improper  acquaintance  with  other 
women.  They  gradually  Vx^eaken  in  their  attachment,  become 
cool  and  indifferent,  and  spend  their  evenings  away  from  home. 
The  wife  becomes  lonesome,  and  concludes  that  she  will  trj^  the 
same  thing.  She  finds  a  companion,  either  male  or  female,  and 
w^hen  her  husband  goes  away  for  a  day  or  two  she  improves  the 
opportunity.  She  visits  places  of  public  resort,  high-toned  res- 
tt^urants  and  drinking  places,  goes  to  the  matinee,  gets  up  a  flir- 
tation with  the  fast  j^oung  man  she  fancies,  gives  him  a  few  hints, 
and  if  she  finds  he  is  sharp  enough  to  take  them  v^dll  drop  him  a 
note  stating  the  day  and  time  he  can  call  at  her  residence  or  some 
other  place.  These  high-toned  women  will  flirt  with  the  waiters 
of  some  public  place  of  resort,  and  invite  tiiem  to,  their  elegant 
homes.  These  young  men,  being  poor,  are  less  afraid  of  being 
exposed  by  them,  because  they  feel  some^vhat  complimented  and 
flattered,  and  do  not  mingle  in  the  same  kind  of  societ}^  as  the 
ladies  do;  and  if  there  was  likely  to  be  anj-  trouble  a  few  dollars 
would  buy  them  up  all  right,  so  that  they  would  be  deaf  and 
dumb  on  that  subject. 

The  actual  state  and  undercurrent  of  society  is  not  discernible 
at  first  sight,  or  by  outward  appearances.  One  must  be  a  dose 
cbsei-\^er  of  every  thing  and  person  around  him;  must  become 


TWO  FORCES.  287 

familiar  with  the  life  and  habits  of  different  classes,  good  and 
bad,  rich  and  poor,  the  learned  and  unlearned;  must  make  him- 
self a  kind  of  detective,  and  notice  people  in  all  conditions,  cir- 
cumstances and  places;  must  know  how  and  where  they  spend 
most  of  their  time  by  day  and  by  night,  Sundays  and  week-days. 
Do  this  four  or  five  years  and  you  will  begin  to  realize  what  the 
true  condition  of  society  is'.  Never  take  the  reputation  or  pro- 
fession of  a  person  as  a  guaranty  of  his  or  her  true  character. 
There  are  plenty  of  men  and  women  vsrho  are  either  members  or 
regular  attendants  of  the  church,  who  can  put  on  a  pious  aprjear- 
ance  as  they  sit  in  their  pewb,  and  mingle  in  church  society, 
whose  private  life  and  character  is  fast  and  immoral.  I  am 
speaking  now  of  that  unprincipled  class  who  seem  to  make  re- 
ligion and  the  church  a  sort  of  a  cloak,  under  which  they  can 
pass  for  a  great  more  than  they  are — those  who  have  no  con- 
scientious scruples  about  their  actions,  and  are  influenced  by  the 
selfish  sentiments;  those  who  take  a  greater  interest  in  dressuig 
up  and  parading  the  prominent  streets  in  the  afternoons,  than 
they  do  in  home  duties  or  work  of  benevolence. 

There  are  others,  who,  through  some  strong  passion  in  their 
nature,  have  besetting  sins  that  occasionally  lead  them  astray, 
but  they  are  loyal  in  heart  and  honest  in  motive,  and  do  not 
belpng  to  the  list  of  fast  men  and  ivomen. 

There  is  another  class,  who  are  not  exactly  fast,  in  any  sense 
of  the  term,  but  who  are  extremely  free  and  liberal  in  their  senti- 
ments on  the  marriage  question.  They  ere  contented  and  happy 
so  long  as  their  husband's  pocket-books  are  well  lined  and  every- 
thing goes  nicely.  But  when  misfortune  or  an^^  kind  of  trouble 
comes  along  their  smiles  give  way  to  frowns.  The  following  in- 
cident will  illustrate  this  class:  A  prominent  member  of  the 
church  in  speaking  about  elopements  between  married  persons, 
remarked,  ''Well,  I  have  a  poor  stick  of  a  husband,  but  when  I 
can't  get  along  with  him,  I'll  get  a. divorce.'*  Those  persons  w^ho 
never,  have  any  trials  and  difficulties  in  life  are  not  properly 
disciplined.  There  is  too  much  of  the  squash  and  pumpkin  na- 
ture in  such  people.  The3^  lack  solidity,  strength,  and  force  of 
character,  and  when  adverse  circumstances  suddenly  overtake 
them,  they  know  wnat  to  do,  because  they  have  never  been 
tempered  with  the  difficulties  and  hardships  of  life's  battle-fisld. 


288  TWO  FORCES. 

This  is  the  reason  why  so  many  men  and  women  who  have  lived 
in  ease  and  affluence  all  their  lives,  become  drunkards  and  prosti- 
tutes when  misfortune  overtakes  tl:cm  because,  not  being  disci- 
plined or  familiar  with  adversity,  they  cannot  or  will  not  en- 
counter it.  So,  married  women,  when  they  have  been  flattered 
and  petted  in  their  youthful  days,  cannot  endure  a  cross  word  or 
look  from  their  husbands,  and  become  discontented  because  their 
lives  are  not  all  hone3^ 

The  old-maidish  way  in  which  many  bring  up  their  sons  and 
daughters,  so  that  they  never  see  or  know  an^^thing  has  a  tend- 
enc3^  to  cause  them  to  go  to  the  other  extreme  when  the}-  have 
a  chance  -^o  see  what  is  going  on  in  the  world. 

A  fast  person  i^  one  in  whom  desire  is  unchecked,  or  nearly  so 
—in  whom  the  reins  of  self-control  hang  loose,  and  there  are 
three  things  that  go  to  make  up  a  fast  character.  First,  the 
passions  and  appetites;  second,  the  desire  to  see,  know  and  ex- 
amine what  the  passions  and  appetites  are  interested  in;  and 
third,  the  contin^ial  thinking  about  such  things  until  the  will  and 
judgment  become  paralyzed.  If  young  people  v^-ould  onh'  con- 
trol their  thoughts,  there  would  be  no  difficult^' in  controlling 
their  actions,  and  it  v^^ould  saA^e  them  from  a  multitude  of  sins  in 
after  life.  Rich  and  extravagant  living  is  also  connected  with  a 
fast  life.  And  manv^  3^oung  men  shorten  their  existence  and  a 
useful  career  by  rich  and  excessive  quantities  c;f  food.  A  surfeited 
stomach  deranges  the  whole  system,  and  stimulating  kinds  of 
food  and  drink  excite  the  animal  passions.  High  living  is  a 
dangerous  thing.  It  has  taken  man^^  a  prominent  man  from  a 
useful  and  honored  position  in  society,  and  laid  him  in  his  grave, 
and  then  his  friends  bring  lots  of  beautiful  bouquets,  and  honor 
his  death  more  than  his  life,  and  say,  "What  a  pity!  he  Avas  such 
a  nice,  good-hearted  and  generous  fellow!"  Yes,  he  was  too  gen- 
erous for  his  own  good  and  the  good  of  his  friends;  in  fact  he 
was  too  generous  to  live.     A  fast  life  means  an  earl}^  death. 

While  taking  a  Turkish  bath  in  one  of  the  eastern  cities,  I  saw^ 
a  man  there  who  handled  about  a  thousand  car  lo  ids  of  grain  a 
week.  He  had  been  married  two  months  and  spent  onlv  two 
Avecks  of  the  time  at  home  \vith  his  wife.  He  had  spent  most  of 
the  time  in  carousing  and  general  dissipation,  and  had  come  there 
in  a  hack  to  take  a  bath  and  sweat  the  whiskey  out  of  him.    The 


TWO  FORCES.  289 

driver  had  to  wait  on  him  and  dress  him  like  a  child.  The  poor 
horses  had  been  standing  outside  from  eight  a.  m.  to  one  p.  m., 
and  I  presume  had  been  out  all  night  beside,  for  the  hackman  was 
tired  and  sleep3%  taking  naps  \vhile  he  was  in  the  sweating  room. 
The  condition  this  newl^^  married  debaucher  was  in  can  be  im- 
agined when  his  foul  whiskey  breath  was  so  strong  that  it  made 
the  man  who  gave  him  the  bath  sick  at  the  stomach.  I  once  met 
a  street  car  driver  in  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  who  told  me  he  used  to 
own  property  and  had  considerable  mone\',but  he  wanted  to  put 
on  as  much  style  as  others  possessed  of  means;  fell  into  licentious 
habits,  drove  fast  horses,  and  finallj/  became  so  reduced  he  had  to 
drive  horses  for  a  street  car  company,  and  support  a  wife  and 
mother  besides.  A  fast  life  always  ends  badly;  bad  for  the  soul, 
bad  for  the  body,  and  generally  for  the  pocket  also. 

There  are  two  causes  which  produce  fast  men,  besides  their 
natural  tendencies.  One  is  large  salaries.  So  long  as  they  have 
moderate  incomes— just  enough  to  live  comfortablr,  with  econ- 
om^' — they  are  not  so  likely  to  spend  money  foolishlj^  or  become 
extravagant  but  when  thej  have  abundance,  there  is  a  tempta- 
tion to  spend  it  in  some  manner,  and,  as  their  taste  inclines  them 
to  a  life  of  pleasure,  they  freely  spend  it  for  such  purposes,  and 
the  appetite,  once  sharpened,  continues  to  crave  for  more.  The 
other  cause  is  physical  and  mental  laziness.  There  is  not  so  much 
danger  of  money  leading  a  man  into  a  fast  life  if  he  is  kept  hard 
at  work  of  somic  kind.  Hence  business  men  are  not  so  prone  to 
dissipation  as  their  employes  are,  because  they  have  a  great  deal 
of  mental,  if  not  physical  labor.  They  use  their  intellect  more — 
also  acquisitiveness;  so  that  the  faculties  that  lead  one  into  dis- 
sipation are  not  so  active.  The  most  active  organs  always  draw 
the  largest  quantity  of  blood,  lea \dng  the  others  in  a  weakened 
condition.  Now  their  emploj^es  have  less  thinking  to  do,  less 
care  and  anxiety,  and,  if  thejv^  have  not  the  mental  temperament 
and  some  object  in  life  set  before  them  to  bring  out  their  energy, 
they  spend  their  spare  hours  in  an  unprofitable,  if  not  a  reckless, 
manner.  Yoimg  micn  having  lucrative  positions  in  stores,  ofiices 
and  banks,  are  prone  to  this  kind  of  life,  and  their  past  gidd3^  life 
sometimes  places  them  in  very  embarrassing  circumstances,  as 
w^as  the  case  with  some  young  men  in  a  bank  when  a  fashionable 
sporting  woman  called  one  day  and  presented  a  check  to  be 


290  TWO  FORCES. 

cashed.  The  cashier  informed  her  she  would  have  to  be  identi- 
fied. *'0,''  said  she,  ''any  of  these  gentlemen  inside  can  identify 
me."  There  was  a  general  stampede  and  consternation  among 
the  sinful  clerks.  They  got  behind  the  desk  and  hid  their  heads 
under  the  counter,  till  the  manager  perceiving  the  condition  of 
things,  and  the  awkward  position  of  the  clerks,  stepped  up  to 
the  paying  teller  and  informed  him  that  ''he  was  not  personally 
acquainted  \vith  the  lady,  but  he  knew  it  was  all  right,  and  he 
could  pay  her  the  money."  It  was  well  for  the  bank  there  were 
one  or  two  Yirtuous  souls  in  it.  Of  all  classes  of  men  I  regard 
college  professors  as  the  purest  on  the  ^^oman  sex  feeling.  The 
large  amount  of  intellectual  brain  work  they  have  to  do,  offsets 
and  cools  down  the  passions. 

Every  man  and  woman  y^dio  wishes  to  make  the  most  of 
themselves  and  x3rotect  their  moral  characters,  should  have  some 
special  aim  and  object  in  life,  and  v\^ork  for  the  accomplishment 
of  it.  I  remember  a  remark  I  heard  a  young  man  make  to  his 
companion  one  night  on  the  street  as  they  were  walking  along 
immediately  in  front  of  me.  "Well,"  said  he,  *T  do  not  care,  I 
have  no  object  in  life  to  live  for."  I  thought  that  was  one  of  the 
saddest  remarks  I  ever  heard.  It  is  the  adoption  of  just  such  a 
sentiment  as  that  v^diich  leads  many  a  person  to  ruin  or  suicide. 
The  fast  3'oung  men  atid  licentious  husbands  and  fathers  who 
lavish  their  money  and  strength  on  fast  women,  should  study 
and  practice  economy.  Let  them  pause,  think  and  figure  up  how 
much  of  their  money  they  spend  in  the  run  of  a  month  or  a  year, 
leaving  out  what  they  occasionally  pay  to  regular  physicians,  or 
more  frequently  quack  doctors  who  financially  bleed  them,  and 
they  will  be  astonished.  Why,  if  they  had  to  give  one-quarter  of 
T\rhat  thej^ spend  in  bad  habits  to  the  church  or  missionary  cause, 
they  would  consider  themselves  robbed  and  ruined.  Oh,  how  sin 
makes  its  poor  victims  pay  for  their  imaginary-  pleasures!  A 
noble  object  in  life,  the  exercise  of  the  intellect  in  liter arv^  and 
scientific  studies,  combined  with  habits  of  economy-  and  industry, 
is  the  royal  road  to  a  moral  life. 

The  artful  and  ingenious  wav^  that  fast  women  sometimes  re- 
sort to  as  a  means  of  advertising  themselves  is  really  astonish- 
ing. When  in  Saratoga  one  summer,  I  had  been  to  the  Congress 
Spring  for  a  glass  of  x^ater  some  time  during  the  day,  and  just 


TWO  FORCES.  291 

as  I  turned  and  left  the  spring,  a  small  colored  boy  neatly  dressed 
stepped  up  to  me,  .and,  in  a  modest,  innocent  way  said,  "Do  you 
know  Miss  Lucy?"  Surprised  and  bewildered  for  a  moment  at 
the  abrupt  and  peculiar  question,  I  tried  to  get  at  the  sense  of  it, 
and  whether  I  knew  any  person  by  that  name.  I  could  not  re- 
member such  a  person,  especially  with  only  the  given  name,  and 
beginning  to  have  a  slight  sus^Dicion  as  to  the  kind  of  person 
meant,  I  said  "No,'' to  the  boy.   I  asked  him  who  Miss  Lucy  was. 

"Don't  know,"  said  he,  "only  she  lives  at  No. Washington 

street."  I  was  satisfied  then  that  the  boy  was  quietly  advertis- 
ing a  house  of  prostitution,  and  the  next  time  I  had  occasion  to 
pass  that  waj^,  for  it  was  on  one  of  the  principal  streets  of  the 
city,  I  noticed  a  plate  on  the  door  with  "Aliss  Lucy''  engraved 
on  it.  On  another  occasion  when  in  Chicago,  I  had  avertised  for 
help,  and  among  the  many  applicants  were  two  j^oung  ladies 
who  complained  before  leaving  the  office,  that  they  had  been  in- 
sulted by  the  elevator  man.  I  thought  it  very  strange  that  such 
should  be  the  case,  and  on  making  inquiries  I  found  there  w^as 
nothing  in  it,  the  girls  were  fast  and  said  what  they  did  by  way 
of  advertising. 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 


Confidence-Men  and  Women:  The  Phrenology  of  them— Manifestation  of  the  Fac 
ulties — The  Education  of  them — Definition  of  a  Black-mailer — The  kind  of  Society 
in  which  the  worst  Class  is  Found — Two  general  Classes  of  Confidence-Men — How 
the  Papers  fail  to  Expose  them — Incident  Illus  trating  a  Game  Practiced  upon  an 
old  Man  one  Sabbath  Morning:  How  it  was  Accomplished — Country  People  and 
City  People — How  both  Clases  Suifer — Seducton  a  Species  of  Confidence-game — s 
Mock-auction  Sales,  and  the  Tricks  that  are  Praticed  there — Professional  Burglars 
— The  Panel  Game — How  it  is  Worked  and  by  what  Class — Dead  Beats — How 
Clerks  and  Book-keeper  are  Frequently  Confidence-Men — The  Society  Confidence- 
Man — Story  Illustrating  the  latter  Class — How  Confidence-Men  try  to  gain  the 
Sympathy  of  Persons — How  two  Young  Ladies  kept  up  Personal  Appearance  when 
in  Straitened  Circumstances — How  Ladies  Play  the  Confidence-game — The  Girls 
who  wanted  a  new  pair  of  Gloves — How  a  Wealthy  Man  was  Confidenced  by  a 
Fast  Woman — The  Arts  and  Tricks  of  Women  to  Excite  the  Curiosity  and  Passions 
of  Men — The  Ingenious  Devices  of  Bad  Women  to  Raise  Money  and  Advertice 
themselTCS. 
Black-Mailing:  Two  Forms,  and  Causes  of  it — A  Story  Explaining  one  of  the  Forms- 
A  case  of  Adultery — The  Demand  for  Money — How^  a  Doctor  and  his  Associate 
Extorted  Money  from  a  Young  Man — How  Business  Men  are  the  Victims  of  Female 
Operators — Other  kinds  of  Black-mailing — That  done  through  Spite  and  Retalia' 
tion — An  Illustration  of  it— -How  two  Y^oung  Ladies  Managed  to  Dress  Elegantly-^ 
Black-mail  practiced  on  Educational  Institutions — How  Men  Black-mail  W'omen— 
How  to  Resist  and  Counteract  Black-mailers. 


CONFID3NCE-MEN. 


^r  must  not  be  supposed  that  these  two  classes  have  any 
great  phrenological  differences  from  the  more  honorable  class. 
Thcj  may  have  some  faculties  which  are  large  and  some  that  art 
deficient,  that  adapt  thern  peculiarly  to  their  nefarious  business. 
Just  the  same  as  certain  combinations  of  faculties  adapt  men  for 
mechanics,  lawyers,  jcurralists,etc.  but  the  general  configura- 
tion of  the  head  wall  be  the  same  as  in  other  people.  The  princi- 
pal difference  between  them  lies  in  the  education  of  these  faculties 
and  the  organic  tone.  A  faculty  ma3^  be  educated  in  whatever 
direction  one  pleases.  Veneration  will  worship  whatever  ihe  ir;- 
telect  leaches  it  to  w^orship,  and  will  be  gross  or  refined  in  its 
worship,  according  to  the    propensities  or    moral    sentiments 


il 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  293 

Conscience  will  adhere  to  what  it  has  been  taught  is  right,  but 
it  never  teaches  what  is  right  or  wrong;  it  is  simply  a  monitor 
or  prompter  to  do  what  other  faculties  teach  one  is  right.  So 
our  judgment  of  right  or  wrong  will  depend  on  our  training  or 
education.  Circumstantial  education  has  much  to  do  with 
molding  the  conscience.  It  is  likewise  necessary  that  we  should 
reason  correctly,  and  in  order  to  do  that  we  must  have  positive 
and  correct  facts  as  data  to  reason  from.  Then  our  conscience 
will  guide  us  in  the  right  direction.  Otherwise  it  will  not,  no 
matter  how  large  the  faculty  of  conscientiousness  ma3^  be. 

Combativeness  will  light  in  whatever  direction  the  other  fac- 
ulties call  it  into  action.  It  w411  light  for  ideas  and  theories,  for 
moral  and  religious  principles,  or  in  a  phj^sical  way,  in  self-defense 
or  to  settle  some  dispu  ::e.  It  will  dispute  anythmg  it  is  inter- 
ested in. 

Spirituality  will  believe  the  truth  or  superstition.  Its  office 
is  to  believe,  and  not  to  determine  what  it  will  believCo 

All  religious  people  exercise  faith  but  their  faith  is  as  varied 
and  different  as  the  colors  of  the  rainbow,  because  the  faith  of 
each  has  been  educated  differentl3^  It  matters  not,  for  present 
consideration,  how  or  by  what  means  that  education  has  been 
accomplished — whether  by  sectarian  influence,  or  by  a  process  of 
reasoning,  or  by  absence  of  either.  Benevolence  will  give  to 
whatever  object  it  is  taught  or  impressed  is  in  need  of  help.  It 
makes  no  discrimination  whether  the  object  is  worthy  or  not. 
Its  office  is  to  give,  not  to  investigate;  that  is  the  work  of  other 
faculties.  Firmness  stands  its  ground — is  determined,  unyielding; 
vsrill  not  give  in;  it  makes  no  difterence  whether  it  be  right  or 
w^rong;  it  leaves  that  for  the  reason  to  decide.  Hence  some  per- 
sons persist  in  a  thing  that  is  entirel}^  wrong,  because  their  edu- 
cation or  reason  is  at  fault.  Ideality,  or  imagination,  will  con- 
ceive ideas,  images  and  pictures  of  beauty  that  are  pure  and 
elevating  or  impure  and  degrading,  according  as  it  has  been  edu- 
cated and  exercised.  These  illustrations  are  sufficient  to  show 
that  human  nature  depends  almost  or  quite  as  much  upon  the 
education  of  the  faculties  as  upon  their  size  and  development. 
And  the  sooner  people  fully  comprehend  this  fact  and  act  upon  it, 
the  better  it  will  be  for  the  public  generally.  The  word  education 
is  used  here  in  the  broadest  sense,  meaning  any  kind  of  discipline, 


294  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACr-MAILERS. 

training  or  influence  brought  to  bear  upon  a  faculty,  ^^hettier 
good  or  evil,  riglit  or  wrong. 

Thus  1  conclude  that  confidence-men,  black  mailers  and  gam- 
blers become  so  through  some  kind  of  education  of  the  facultiies, 
either  circumstantial,  hereditary,  or  personal,  and  not  merely 
through  a  particular  organization  of  the  brain,  though  that  may 
be  a  part  of  the  cause.  A  confidence  game  is  that  in  which  one 
person  prevails  upon  another  to  put  faith  and  trust  in  him,  in 
order  to  afford  a  more  favorable  opportunity  for  him  to  rob, 
steal,  impose  upon,  or  in  some  way  injure,  or  take  advantage  of, 
the  confiding  party.  A  black-mailer  is  one  who  extorts  money, 
valuables,  and  favors  hj  threatening  false  reports  of  a  scandal- 
ous nature,  or  in  some  way  injuring  the  good  name  and  moral 
character  of  the  individual  attacked.  The  practice  of  these  in- 
famous tricks  upon  innocent  persons  is  not  confined  to  the  rough, 
and  what  is  generally  considered  the  dangerous  class,  of  society. 
Those  who  would  be  least  suspected,  those  w^ho  move  in  refined 
circles  of  societ^^  and  pass  as  ladies  and  gentlemen,  are  to  be 
found  among  these  contemptible  human  wolves  and  alligators. 
The  higher  the  grade  of  society  in  which  sueh  persons  are  found) 
the  greater  and  more  extensive  will  be  their  operations  and  im- 
positions. It  w^ould  be  difficult  to  classify  the  different  kinds  of 
confidence-men  and  w^omen,  as  thej^  change  their  mode  of  opera- 
tion to  suit  the  time,  place  and  circumstances.  I  might,  how- 
ever^ name  two  divisions  of  them — those  who  operate  upon 
strangers,  and  those  who  operate  upon  acquaintances. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  mention  circumstances  illus- 
trating the  manner  in  which  this  class  of  men  plaj^  their  gamefe' 
Virith  strangers,  as  they  have  been  so  frequently  exposed  by  the 
daily  papers;  although  I  think  the  papers  generally  fail  to  do 
their  duty  in  one  respect.  While  they  inform  the  public  that  such 
and  such  a  person  has  been  confidenced  out  of  his  money,  they 
do  not  state  clearh^  the  mental  process  b^-  which  the  good  will 
and  confidence  of  the  stranger  were  enlisted.  Hence  the  \varning 
given  to  the  public  is  of  very  little  use,  because  they  have  not 
learned  just  how  these  men  approach  and  converse  with  their 
victims. 

As  this  book  may  fall  into  the  hands  of  many  persons  whoi 
do  not  read  the  city  papers,  or  only  occasionally,  I   will  relate 


CONFIDENCK-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  295 

two  incidents  that  came  under  m^^  own  observation,  one  of  them 
on  a  Sabbath  morning:  I  had  been  to  breakfast,  and  was  just 
returning  to  my  room  located  in  a  large  block  in  the  central  por- 
tion of  the  business  part  of  the  cit_v.  As  I  ascended  the  stairs,  I 
met  a  man  coming  do\Yn,  far  advanced  in  life,  and  almost  craz}^ 
with  excitement.  He  stopped  and  asked  me  if  there  w^as  an^^ 
business  office  in  the  building.  I  told  him  there  were  several, 
though  they  w^ere  not  open,  the  daj^  being  Sunda}-,  Then  he 
burst  out  into  some  such  exclamation  as,  *'0h,  dear  me!  I  am 
fleeced,  I  am  fleeced!"  And  showing  me  a  twenty-dollar  gold 
piece,  asked  if  it  w^as  not  counterfeit.  The  weight  and  sound  of 
it  w^ere  sufficient  proof  that  there  w^as  very  little  gold  about  it.  I 
took  him  to  the  office  of  the  chief  of  police,  to  see  if  anj-^thing 
could  be  done  for  him.  But  he  w^as  informed  that  nothing  could 
be  done  unless  he  could  find  and  identify  the  man.  A  policeman 
told  him  it  served  him  right  for  being  foolish  enough  to  hand  over 
his  mone^^  to  a  stranger  when  he  w^ould  not  let  his  neighbor  have 
even  a  dollar  wdthout  security-.  After  he  became  self-composed, 
he  told  me  that  he  had  been  cheated  as  follows:  He  w^ as  going 
farther  w^est,  on  a  visit  to  his  son,  but  stopped  over  at  Chicago  a 
few  days  to  see  the  cit^^,  and  the  Fall  exhibition  then  open.  He 
had  a  large  satchel  wnth  him,  and  was  accosted  hj  a  well-dressed 
man  in  front  of  the  block  already  described.  By  some  means  the 
confidence-man  had  found  out  a  few^  things  about  the  old  gentle- 
man's place  of  residence,  either  b3''  hearing  him  converse  with 
some  other  person  just  before,  or  else  an  accomplice  confidant, 
living  wdiere  he  came  from,  had  sent  the  other  one  w^ord  of  his 
coming,  and  a  few  particulars  besides.  Then  the  old  gentleman, 
finding  he  knew  so  much,  told  him  w^here  he  w^as  going,  about 
his  son,  etc.  Of  course  the  confidence-man  was  well  acquainted 
with  his  son,  and  was  going  on  to  the  same  place,  and  w^ould 
like  to  accompany  him.  But  he  had  to  step  up  in  the  building 
and  get  a  ticket  first,  and  as  they  w^ould  not  allow  the  premium 
on  gold,  w^ould  he  (the  old  man)  be  kind  enough  to  let  him  have 
greenbacks,  and  he  would  deposit  his  gold  with  him.  till  he  could 
get  it  exchanged.  The  old  man  consented,  and  he  deposited  three 
worthless  twenty-dollar  gold  pieces,  for  w^hich  he  received  nearly 
that  amount  in  good  greenbacks.  The  building  being  located  on 
a  corner,  was  so  constructed  that  it  had  tw^o  entrances,  one  from 


I 


296  CONI^IDBHCS-MEK  AND  BLACft-M FILERS. 

each  street.  So  the  confidence- man  going  up  one  stairway,  pass- 
ed through  the  hall,  and  down  the  other,  leaving  the  poor  old 
granger  penniless,  waiting  for  his  return,  while  he  made  his  es- 
cape up  the  other  street. 

But  why  w^as  this  man  so  easily  imposed  upon?  Because  he 
was  a  countr3^  green-horn?  Not  exacth-;  he  had  heard  about 
confidence-men,  thieves,  gamblers,  etc.,  and  probably  made  up  his 
mind  he  would  never  be  taken  in  b}^  them,  just  as  many  others 
have  done,  and  some  of  them  shrewd  men.  But  he  was  undoubt- 
edly ignorant  of  the  peculiar  and  various  wa3'S  they  have  of  ap- 
proaching and  addressing  a  stranger.  Our  wise  cit^^  people 
would  be  just  as  ignorant  about  these  things  as  their  country 
cousins  if  it  were  not  that  they  are  living  right  in  the  midst  of 
them,  and  hear  of  their  tricks  every  day,  and  sometimes  business 
men  well  posted  in  the  wa\^s  of  these  men  are  taken  in.  Another 
thing  that  saves  city  people  is  the  fact  that  this  class  of  confi- 
dence-men do  not,  and  dare  not,  risk  themselves  on  their  own 
fellow- citizens.  They  would  be  more  liable  to  be  recognized  and 
arrested  some  time,  whereas  country  people  and  transients  from 
other  cities  would  lose  double  the  amount  through  loss  of  time 
and  the  extra  expense  of  staying  in  the  city.  But  city  people  are 
really  greater  victims  and  losers  b^^  confidence-games  than  coun- 
try people,  which  I  shall  show  further  on. 

Partial  ignorance,  then,  was  the  cause  of  the  granger's  mis- 
fortune. The  next  question  to  be  considered  and  answered  is: 
How  and  w^hy  did  the  confidence-man  make  a  favorable  impres- 
sion upon  the  granger's  mind?  In  the  first  place,  he  was  mentally 
in  the  most  favorable  condition  possible  to  be  acted  upon.  He 
was  in  a  negative  relation  to  the  confidence  man,  and  the  very 
faculties  that  produce  caution,  prudence,  foresight,  suspicion,  and 
closeness  in  regard  to  money  matters,  were  not  active,  being 
away  from  business  on  a  pleasure  trip;  new  objects  and  surround- 
ings called  other  faculties  into  action,  so  that  the  man  was  en- 
tirely- off  his  guard  when  thus  approached.  Then  the  whole  thing 
was  done  so  suddenW,  that  he  did  not  think  what  he  was  doing, 
till  it  was  all  over  and  too  late.  Had  the  confidence-man  made 
the  proposition  and  left  him  a  short  time  to  consider  about  it,  he 
probably  would  not  have  done  it;  or,  had  the  favor  been  asked  oi 


60k^lbfiNCE-MGN  AND  BLaCK-MaILK'RS.  29? 

Wtii  at  hts  own  home,  he  wotild  most  likely  have  acted  more 
wisely. 

The  confidence-man  gained  his  point  by  first  selecting  a  favor- 
able place  and  opportunity;  second,  he  met  him  in  a  very  cordial, 
pleasing  manner;  and,  third,  he  deceived  him  and  gained  his  con- 
fidence by  telling  him  he  knew  his  son;  and  then,  by  shrewd  and 
quick  manoeuvering,  got  his  mind  in  a  sort  of  enchanted,  bewild- 
ered state,  which  blinded  his  natural  perception  and  judgment  for 
the  time  being.  His  memory  was  likewise  inactive  or  stupid,  and 
failed  to  remind  him  how  others  had  been  imposed  upon.  The 
case  is  very  similar  to  that  of  a  respectable  young  lady,  v^^ho  be- 
comes acquainted  with  a  worthless,  unprincipled  character,  but 
not  being  a  good  reader  of  human  nature  she  does  not  perceive 
his  true  character,  and  allows  his  winning  ways  and  manners  to 
gain  her  affections.  But,  as  she  is  a  very  moral  young  lady,  hav- 
ing much  respect  for  her  honor  and  good  name,  he  finds  that 
improper  advances  would  be  instantly  repelled.  So  he  plaj^s  the 
I  confidence-game  on  her,  declares  he  loves  her  above  all  others, 
and  wins  not  only  her  heart,  but  her  hand,  in  the  promise  of  mar- 
riage. Then,  being  in  love,  and  engaged,  she  places  implicit  confi- 
dence in  her  betrothed,  and,  though  she  does  not  at  first  yield  to 
his  amorous  demands,  she  onlj^  gently  remonstrates.  But  he 
urges  and  pleads  his  case  like  a  lawyer,  and  talks  with  the  earn- 
est eloquence  of  a  silver-toned  orator  (at  least  it  seems  so  in  her 
ears),  and  he  finally  succeeds  in  making  her  see  and  believe  that 
black  is  white,  and  the  deluded  and  deceived  girl,  in  a  moment  of 
excitement,  yields  to  his  sexual  embrace.  The  rest  of  the  story  is 
soon  told.  Having  accomplished  his  base  object,  he  leaves  her  to 
her  unenviable  fate,  a  sadder,  but  wiser  woman.  She  had  no 
doubt  heard  of  several  w^ho  had  been  deceived  in  the  same  man- 
ner; still,  she  does  not  heed  the  warning,  but  listens  to  the  flatter- 
ing  talk  of  her  seducer,  tastes  the  forbidden  fruit,  and  becomes  an 
outcast  from  the  garden  of  innocence. 

The  second  incident  I  wish  to  notice  took  place  in  New  York. 
I  v^as  strolling  along  the  street  one  night,  looking  at  the  sights 
and  people,  when  a  well-dressed  man,  apparently  walking  by  in 
a  hurry,  suddenly  stopped  and  stepping  up  to  me  commenced  to 
shake  hands  in  a  very  cordial  manner,  as  they  always  do,  remark- 
ing, **I  believe  I  met  you  in  our  store  to-day,"  said  he,  **my  name 


298  CONFIDSNCE-MEN  and  fiLACk-MAlLERS. 

is  so-and-so,  and  I  am  in  M clothing  store  just  above  here.** 

**Well,'*  I  said,  ''you  are  mistaken.  I  have  not  been  in  that 
store."  "Well,"  said  he,  "may  I  ask  your  name  and  where  you 
are  from?"  "My  name  is  Willis,  from  Chicago,"  I  replied. 
"Well, "said  he,  "I  see  I  am  mistaken, but  there  is  no  harm  done." 
"O,  no,"  I  remarked,  as  he  politely  and  gracefully  bid  me  good 
evening.  Now,  I  thought  to  myself,  I  shall  not  go  far  before  I 
shall  meet  another  of  those  fellows,  because  I  supposed  that  is 
what  he  wanted  my  name  for,  to  give  to  his  accomplice,  he  acting 
merely  as  a  sort  of  an  advance  agent.  I  walked  on  about  a  hun- 
dred 3^ards,  when  another  man  stopped  and  accosted  me  in  the 
usual  warm  hearted  way,  as  though  he  was  an  old  friend,  and 
pretending  surprise  at  seeing  me  in  New  York,  said:  "Why,  how 
do  you  do,  Willis!  When  did  you  leave  Chicago."  "O,"  I  re- 
plied, "I  left  last  November."  "Ah,  indeed;  well  I  have  not  seen 
you  for  a  long  time.  I  have  just  come  on  here  to  take  my  sister 
back,  and  expect  to  leave  in  a  few  days."  After  listening  to  that 
kind  of  talk  a  few  moments,  I  told  him  "I  did  not  remember  ever 
meeting  him."  "You  don't!  "  said  he,  assuming  astonishment  at 
m^^  forgetfulness,  "well,  now  3^ou  think."  1  did;  but  still  I  could 
not  think  of  ever  having  seen  him.  "Well,"  said  he,  "I  have  met 
you  several  times."  I  asked  him  where  he  had  met  me,  or  if  he 
had  been  living  in  Chicago.  Then  he  mentioned  one  of  the  lead, 
ing  hotels  and  some  other  places;  still  I  could  not  remember  him 
"That  is  strange,"  said  he,  as  he  shook  hands  again  and  was 
about  leaving  me,  when  he  suddenly  turned  and  invited  me  to 
step  across  the  road  and  take  a  drink.  I  told  him  I  never  drank. 
'*Well,  won't  you  take  a  cigar,  then."  I  replied,  "I  never  smoke 
either."  Then  finding  he  could  do  nothing  with  me,  he  bid  me 
good  night  and  walked  away.  His  game  w^as  to  get  on  the 
social  side  of  me  by  treating;  then  he  would  probably  have  pro- 
posed a  walk  or  visit  to  some  store  or  gambling  place,  when  most 
likely  another  accomplice  would  have  put  in  appearance  and 
wanted  to  change  some  money,  or  get  the  loan  of  some  for  a  few 
minutes;  some  kind  of  trick  would  have  been  resorted  to  in  order 
to  get  my  money  and  skip  out. 

As  there  are  thousands  of  people  visiting  cities  who  step  into 
an  auction  room,  never  dreaming  of  the  trap  that  is  set  for  them, 
it  mav  not  be  amiss  to  warn  the  reader  of  the  class  of  confidence- 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  299 

men  connected  with  them,  and  their  mode  of  operation.  I  refer 
no\v  to  mock-auction  rooms,  not  the  genuine.  But  strangers,  not 
knowing  the  difference,  are  as  hable  to  get  into  the  dishonorable, 
as  the  honorable  places.  I  will  briefl}^  mention  two  of  their 
games:  In  one  case,  one  of  the  gang  will  dress  up  in  a  country- 
man's attire,  and  watch  his  chance.  When  he  sees  severa 
strangers  in  the  room  who  are  liable  to  bid,  he  walks  in  and  asks 
what  his  commission  is  for  selling  a  watch.  He  further  informs 
him  that  he  is  very  hard  up,  and  must  sell  his  watch  to  get  some 
moncA^  stating  how  much  he  paid  for  it  (perhaps  a  hundred  dol- 
lars or  more),  and  if  he  can  get  so  much  for  it,  he  will  sell  it.  The 
auctioneer  replies  he  cannot  sell  it  on  those  terms;  he  will  sell  it 
for  what  he  can  get,  but  cannot  be  limited.  Well,  as  he  is  in 
pressing  need  of  money,  he  will  sell  it,  bring  what  it  may,  and 
hands  it  over  to  be  sold.  They  bid  on  it,  and  some  stranger  buys 
it  for  twenty  or  thirty  dollars,  and  finds  out  it  is  a  mere  imita- 
tion, worth  about  four  or  five  dollars,  The  other  game  is  man- 
aged by  the  auctioneer.  He  puts  up  a  bogus  article  for  sale,  and 
eyeing  a  countryman,  calls  him  up,  and  in  a  w^hispering  tone  asks 
him  to  be  kind  enough  to  bid  it  in  for  him,  as  he  does  not  wash  to 
sell  it  for  w^hat  it  w411  bring;  or  he  is  particularly  desirous  to 
have  it  himself.  The  visitor,  to  be  accommodating,  bids  it  in. 
Then  the  autioneer  asks  him  to  leave  a  deposit  of  five  or  six  dol- 
lars, so  the  crowd  will  not  suspect  the  buying  in,  and  he  w  ill  re- 
fund it  as  soon  as  the  sale  is  over.  So  he  pays  the  deposit,  and 
when  the  sale  is  over,  steps  up  to  get  the  money  he  advanced. 
The  auctioneer,  assuming  an  air  of  indifference,  tells  him  that  if 
he  will  pay  so  much  more,  he  can  have  the  article.  Of  course  he 
remonstrates,  but  to  no  purpose.  If  he  threatens  to  have  him 
arrested,  and  calls  in  the  aid  of  a  policeman,  another  auctioneer 
has  taken  the  place  of  the  former,  and  of  course  knows  nothing 
about  the  affair,  and  cannot  be  held  accountable  for  the  trans- 
action; so  the  stranger  has  to  lose  the  money  he  deposited,  as  it 
would  cost  him  twice  or  five  times  as  much  more  to  look  up  the 
guilty  man.  The  safest  plan  is  not  to  invest  unless  3^ou  are  sure 
what  kind  of  a  place  you  are  in,  what  you  are  buying,  and  what 
it  is  w^orth. 

It  w^ould  take  a  book  of  itself  to  give  anything  like  a  full 
description,  with  the  details  of  the  different  ways  confidence- 
games   are   practiced   upon   people   by   professional   humbugs, 


300  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

gamblers,  burglars,  whisky  rings,  political  rings,  bunko-ropers, 
faro-bank  steerers,  and  the  panel-game  manipulators. 

Professional  burglars  are  well  dressed,  and  operate  mostly  on 
banks,  or  wherever  they  can  get  large  sums  of  money.  They 
never  break  into  ordinary  stores,  or  risk  themselves  at  common 
small  jobs;  they  go  in  for  a  big  haul,  or  none  at  all.  As  for 
bunko-ropers  and  faro-bank  steerers,  I  have  only  to  say  that  if  a 
man  is  foolish  enough  to  have  anything  to  do  with  lotteries  and 
betting  on  games,  it  serves  him  right  if  he  does  get  bitten. 

The  panel-game  is  worked  by  a  low,  thieving  class  of  prosti- 
tutes, who  pick  up  their  company  on  the  streets,  and  take  them 
to  their  rooms.  The  victim  undresses,  and  leaves  his  clothes  on 
a  chair  intentionalh^  placed  beside  a  partition  in  which  there  is  a 
sliding  panel,  or  small  door,  that  can  be  opened  without  attract- 
ing his  attention,  and,  by  the  time  he  is  ready  to  dress,  his  pock- 
ets have  all  been  emptied  of  whatever  is  deemed  valuable. 

There  is  a  large  class  of  confidence-men  who  come  under  the 
head  of  dead-beats.  They  make  it  a  point  to  get  into  the  good 
graces  of  persons  far  enough  to  receive  favors  they  cannot  obtain 
otherwise,  and  will  even  contract  debts  they  have  no  idea  of  pay- 
ing, unless  compelled  to  do  so.  They  take  advantage  of  ac- 
quaintanceship for  selfish  purposes,  even  if  it  is  at  the  expense 
and  inconvenience  of  the  person  acquainted  with.  But  some  of 
them  play  their  cards  a  little  differently.  They  get  what  they 
want  without  paying  for  it,  by  an  evasive,  dodging  way  of 
doing  business.  They  will  try  every  scheme  they  can  think  of, 
and  make  all  sorts  of  excuses,  to  obtain  possession  of  goods 
without  paying  anj^thing,  and  then  the  owner  may  v^^histle  for 
his  mone}^  and,  in  some  cases,  ^vvill  never  see  or  hear  of  the  indi- 
vidual any  more. 

Some  of  the  mean,  stingy,  fashionable  ^^omen  in  Philadelphia, 
have  been  known  to  send  their  servants  to  a  florist  or  hair  store 
for  samples,  just  before  an  evening  part^^  would  take  place  at 
their  house,  make  use  of  them  for  the  evening  to  adorn  their 
toilet  or  rooms,  and  then  return  them  in  the  morning;  or,  per- 
haps, for  looks' sake,  buy  a  small  or  cheap  article.  If  the  mer- 
chant should  send  after  his  goods  before  the  party  has  taken 
place,  these  fashionable  liars  would  send  w^ord  to  the  door  that 
they  were  not  in,  or  could  not  be  seen,  and  to  call  in  the  morning. 
One  merchant  knowing  of  their  tricks  determined  he  would  not 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  301 

be  imposed  upon,  and  sent  his  assistant  back  again  with  a  posi- 
tive demand  for  the  goods,  and  he  got  them.  If  such  people  had 
2.  little  more  self-esteem  or  dignity,  and  less  approbativeness  or 
vanity,  they  would  never  let  themselves  down  to  such  small,  un- 
womanly^ actions;  for  it  is  realh^  a  polite  way  of  stealing,  or  get- 
ting the  use  of  the  goods  under  false  pretenses. 

Another  class  of  confidence-men  are  found  among  employes, 
such  as  clerks  and  book-keepers  for  firms  doing  a  large  cash  busi- 
ness. They  will  attend  strictly  to  business,  and  work  very  hard 
apparentl^^  for  the  interest  of  the  firm,  so  as  to  gain  their  entire 
confidence,  and  therebj^  a  more  favorable  opportunity  to  ab- 
stract money  in  small  quantities,  or  make  a  large  haul  of  it. 

Then  there  is  the  society  confidence-man.  He  generalh^  comes 
from  the  class  I  have  just  spoken  of,  and  is  sometimes  a  combina- 
tion of  both .  He  wants  to  find  his  w^ay  into  fashionable  or  re- 
fined society.  He  is  not  acquainted,  and  has  probably  neither 
money  nor  culture  to  put  him  there.  But  he  is  determined  to  be 
a  society  man.  So  he  attempts,  and  generally  manages  through 
a  little  stratagem,  to  form  the  acquaintance  and  gain  the  good 
will  of  a  society  gentleman.  He  prevails  on  him  to  make  a  visit 
to  some  nice  family,  w^here  there  are  young  ladies,  and  introduce 
him.  Or,  he  may,  by  attending  a  grand  ball,  be  introduced,  in 
an  accidental  manner,  through  politeness  or  courtesy.  Anywa3% 
providing  he  can  obtain  two  or  three  introductions  to  first-class 
families,  and  receive  invitations  to  call  upon  them,  then  by  play- 
ing the  role  of  a  polite  and  entertaining  gentleman,  he  works  his 
way  YGry  gradualh^,  but  surely,  into  the  upper  class  of  society. 

I  have  in  my  mind  an  individual  w^ho  will  fairly  represent  the 
two  classes  I  have  just  mentioned.  Several  years  ago,  before  1 
was  engaged  in  my  present  profession,  there  came  to  my  office  a 
man  in  the  prime  of  life,  looking  for  a  situation.  I  was  busy  at 
the  time,  and  did  not  make  am^  close  observation  of  his  appear 
ance,  more  than  in  a  general  w^ay,  as  to  w^hat  I  thought  his  abil- 
ities w^ere,  w^hich  I  concluded  w^ere  good.  He  seemed  to  be,  so 
far  as  business  was  concerned,  just  the  man  T  wanted;  and  he 
proved  to  be  the  best  person  for  the  position  I  ever  had  or  expect 
to  get.  He  had  his  hat  on  all  the  time,  so  I  did  not  get  the  out- 
line of  his  head,  and  his  mouth  was  covered  with  a  light,  sand^^ 
mustache;  so  there  was  not  much  to  be  observed  without  making 


302  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

a  close  examination.  As  to  what  his  actual  charater  might  be, ' 
it  did  not  occur  to  me  at  the  time,  for  I  had  not  made  a  special 
study  of  the  features  at  that  time,  and  1  never  ask  a  person  for 
references,  because  the  worst  characters  can  often  furnish  the 
best  references,  especialh^  in  Chicago.  A  sporting  woman  rented 
two  rooms  in  one  of  the  finest  blocks  in  the  city,  and  gave  the 
landlord's  agent  better  references  than  an^^  other  tenant  in  the 
building.  And  the  meanest  (and  I  suppose  I  might  say  w^orst) 
woman  I  ever  had  in  m3^  employ  was  one  whogaA^e  me  the  names 
of  a  prominent  minister  and  one  of  his  la3^men  as  references.  So 
I  left  the  analyzing  of  the  gentleman's  chai  acter  until  a  more 
favorable  opportunity  was  afforded  to  study  him;  for  I  wish  the 
reader  to  bear  in  remembrance  that  the  faculties  alone  do  not  de- 
termine the  character,  but  rather  the  education  of  them,  and  a 
phrenologist  cannot  alwa3^s  tell  just  how  the  faculties  have  been 
educated.  He  cannot  tell  w^hether  a  man  has  been  converted  or 
not,  neither  can  he  answer  positively  the  foolish  question  so  often 
asked,  w^hether  a  man  or  w^oman  is  married,  although  he  may  do 
it  in  some  instances.  But  he  had  not  been  with  me  many  days 
before  I  obser^'cd  traits  of  character  that  w^ere  objectionable — 
that  is,  little  things  that  caused  me  to  be  somewhat  suspicious; 
because,  being  in  his  company  a  few  da^^s,!  had  a  chance  to  study 
him  more  thoroughl3%  could  stud^^  his  actions  as  well  as  his 
looks.  Still,  I  had  heard  nothing  concerning  him  or  his  past 
character,  nor  was  there  an3^thmg  in  his  present  actions  of  a  seri- 
ous nature.  He  had  a  very  annoying  w^ay  of  rolling  his  eyes  to 
one  side,  and  staring  a  person  out  of  countenance  during  conver- 
sation, as  if  to  make  them  34eld  to  some  power  or  influence  he 
was  tr3'ing  to  impress  upon  them.  His  mustache  covered  w^hat 
would  otherwise  have  been  a  disgusting-looking  mouth,  so  that 
he  could  not  have  been  called  a  handsome  man.  Nevertheless, 
there  was  more  than  one  female  heart  that  succumbed  to  his 
fascinating  manner,  for  it  could  not  be  expected  the3^  w^ould  look: 
underneath  his  mustache.  Women  only  look  at  the  outside  of  a 
man — I  mean  as  a  rule.  He  was  a  regular  heart-smasher,  and 
could  manage  to  pla3^  a  tune  on  more  than  one  heart  at  the  same 
time.  Then  he  had  two  diamond  studs,  which  alwa3's  produce  a 
wondrous  effect  upon  minds  not  properl3^  educated,  and  their 
beauty  made  up  for  what  was  deficient  in  his  ugly  mouth  and 


CONPIDKNCE^MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  303 

wicked  eyes.  But  he  had  another  qualification — the  gift  of  gab. 
He  was  an  excessive  talker,  and  knew  how  to  do  it  to  make  a 
favorable  impression.  He  likewise  had  some  ability  for  vocal 
and  instrumental  music;  so  that  putting  all  these  lit  tie  gifts  to- 
gether, he  could  wind  a  certain  class  of  women  right  around  his 
little  finger.  Not  only  had  he  a  peculiar  influence  with  women, 
but  his  pleasing  way  gained  him  many  gentlemen  friends  and 
accommodations  among  business  men,  which  gave  him  an  oppor- 
tunity to  contract  debts.  Phrenologicall}'^,  he  had  large  agree- 
ableness,  human  nature,  secretiveness,  approbativeness  and 
amativeness.  Hence  he  was  fond  of  the  women,  fond  of  display, 
fond  of  exaggeration,  fond  of  flattery  and  playing  the  agreeable, 
inclined  to  misrepresent  and  lie,  oiling  people  all  over  in  order  to 
swallow  them;  and,  having  an  insight  into  human  nature,  he 
knew  just  how  to  take  the  people  and  deal  with  them.  lu  order 
to  get  a  stronger  hold  upon  the  people,  he  joined  one  of  the 
largest  churches  in  Chicago — represented  himself  as  being  related 
to  persons  he  was  not  related  to,  and  as  being  a  graduate  of  a 
university  he  had  never  attended;  in  iact,  sailed  under  false  colors. 
Thus  matters  went  on  until  his  extravagant  assertions  aroused 
the  suspicion  of  one  of  his  lady  acquaintances;  and  she,  relating 
her  misgivings  to  f)ne  of  her  relatives  caused  an  investigation  of 
his  character.  Information  was  rece,ved  that  he  had  robbed  an 
express  company,  for  which  crime  hie  had  served  a  term  in  the 
penitentiary;  had  likewise  robbed  and  swindled  a  former  employ- 
er; had  borrowed  diamonds  from  a  jeweler  to  wear  to  a  party, 
wnich  he  had  never  returned;  and  had  left  two  or  three  wdves,  one 
of  them  with  a  baby  in  her  arms,  and  without  a  penny^to  help 
herself.  He  was  brought  before  a  deacons'  meeting,  when  he  was 
at  first  defiant  and  reticent,  until  he  saw  they  had  positive  proof 
of  his  iniquity.  Then  he  tried  the  part  of  a  grief-stricken,  humble 
penitent,  though  his  tears  v^ere  not  very  copious.  But  the 
deacons  were  not  much  affected  by  the  dry-tear  business,  and  al- 
lowed a  reporter  to  write  him  up  in  one  of  the  daily  papers. 
They  failed,  however,  to  give  a  proper  description  of  his  appear- 
ance, so  that  publishing  the  affair  did  very  little  good  to  the  pub- 
lic or  harm  to  him,  for  he  only  ^went  a  few  blocks  from  where  he 
had  previously  been  employed,  before  he  found  a  position  as 
porter  or  clerk  in  one  of  the  leading  hotels,  when,  after  a  brief 
stay,  he  managed  to  get  away  with  two  thousand  eight  htmdred 


^04  OONPIDENCE-MEH  AND  BLACk-MAlLBRS. 

dollars;  was  atrested  aild  again  served  a  term  in  the  Illinois  Pen- 
itentiary, at  Joliet. 

Confidence-men  will  sometimes  weep,  or  try  to  do  so,  to  ac- 
complish their  purpose.  Like  a  man  who  went  to  an  artist  to 
have  a  picture  of  his  mother,  who  was  dead,  enlarged  and 
finished  in  India  ink.  Every  time  he  called  to  see  it  he  would 
weep.  Finallj^,  the  picture  was  finished,  and  watching  an  oppor- 
tunity while  the  artist  stepped  into  another  room  for  a  few- 
seconds,  he  carried  the  picture  oif  without  -psLjing  for  it.  What 
kind  of  a  man  can  that  be  who  will  steal  his  own  mother's 
picture,  and  what  must  be  his  feelings  when  he  remembers  the 
dishonest  manner  in  which  he  obtained  it !  There  are  so  many 
ways  and  devices  which  men  and  women  resort  to,  who  are  con- 
nected with  good  society  as  well  as  bad,  to  obtain  goods  and 
presents  b^^  unfair  means,  even  though  they  may  not  be  all 
offenses  against  the  law,  that  I  think  it  but  proper  to  allude  to 
some  of  them  in  this  chapter.  I  will  mention  two  or  three  inci- 
dents to  show  how  prostitutes  practice  it  \vhen  they  -want 
money.  A  certain  prominent  and  wealthy  man  in  a  certain  city, 
^^ho  was  on  intimate  terms  with  the  mistress  of  a  fashionable 
house  of  ill-fame,  and  was  also  fond  of  the  social  glass,  was  con. 
fidenced  out  of  hundreds  of  dollars  in  a  single  night.  She  made 
up  her  mind  to  have  some  of  his  monej^,  and  she  got  it,  because  a 
fool  and  his  money  is  soon  parted.  One  night  when  he  visited 
her  house,  she  made  herself  entertaining,  got  him  to  playing 
cards  and  drinking  wine  until  he  got  boozy,  and  lost  his  common 
sense.  Then  she  began  to  coax  and  tease  him  for  money,  and 
drew  out  a  check  for  one  or  two  hundred  dollars,  and  prevailed 
on  him  without  an^^  difficulty  to  sgn  it;  then  she  would  talk 
with  him  awhile  and  tell  him  he  haid  not  given  her  that  check 
yet;  and,  of  course,  being  drunk  his  memory  was  drunk  too,  so 
that  he  did  not  kiow  \Nrhat  he  had  done,  and,  hence,  could  keep 
on  signing  as  man^-  checks  at  intervals  as  sbe  chose  to  draw  up. 
And  this  is  about  the  way  such  women  secure  mone^-  from  their 
wealthy  visitors,  or  else  by  threatening  to  expose  them 

Another  case  is  that  of  a  young  woman  who  was  living  with 
a  young  man,  but  instead  of  he  keeping  her,  she  kept  him.  On 
one  occasion  when  her  lover  wanted  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  and 
neither  of  them  had  the  money,  she  padded  herself  around  the 
abdomen  so   as  to  look  encientCt  and  went  around  calling  on 


CONFIDENCE  MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERvS.  305 

ladies  and  at  the  business  places  of  gentlemen,  stating  she  was 
about  to  be  confined  and  was  in  urgent  need  of  some  money.  Of 
course  some  gentlemen,  as  well  as  ladies,  would  readily  give  her 
a  dollar  or  two,  to  get  her  out  of  the  way  as  quickly  as  possible: 
and  in  that  way  she  collected  enough  in  a  single  day  to  buy  her 
lover  a  splendid  suit  of  clothes.  And  I  got  the  fact  from  one  of 
the  contributors,  who  accidentally  dropped  into  the  room  where 
they  were  staying,  in  a  business  block,  and  saw  both  of  them,  he 
-with  his  new  suit  on. 

My  third  illustration,  which  will  show  to  what  extent  and 
how  low  a  sporting  woman's  conscience,  if  she  has  any,  will  let 
her  sink,  is  of  a  woman  who  called  on  a  former  acquaintance, 
and  stated  in  a  sorrowful  way,  that  her  sister  had  just  died  and 
she  had  no  money  to  bury  her  w^ith.  The  lady  took  compassion 
on  her  and  gave  her  fifteen  dollars.  A  few  weeks  passed  awaj^, 
when  as  she  was  passing  down  the  street  one  day,  she  was 
amazed  and  bewildered  to  meet  the  supposed  dead  sister. 

Two  prepossessing  young  ladies,  whose  father  was  m  re- 
duced circumstances,  desired  to  keep  up  their  personal  appear- 
ance, and  live  as  usual.  How  to  get  the  necessary  money  was 
the  question  of  the  day  with  them;  and  among  the  various  dis- 
reputable ways  which  high-toned,  poverty-stricken  people  resort 
to,  rather  than  to  honest  labor,  they  chose  the  one  they  evidently 
considered  had  the  most  show  of  respectability.  They  did  not 
like  to  steal  outright,  so,  assuming  a  sanctimonious  air,  they 
went  around  the  city  collecting  for  some  charitable  institution. 
But  remembering  the  old  saying,  charity  begins  at  home,  they 
put  the  collections  in  their  own  pockets  instead  of  handing  the 
money  over  to  the  institution;  and  were  only  discovered  in  their 
fraud  and  imposition  upon  the  public  by  calling  on  a  generous 
giver  once  too  often. 

Young  ladies  in  good  society  ^who  aim  to  put  on  more  style 
than  they  have  means  to  do  it  with,  occasionally  resort  to  a 
species  of  confidence-game.  For  instance,  a  gentleman  invites  a 
lady  to  attend  a  theater  or  other  place  of  amusement,  and  she 
accepts  the  invitation.  But  she  wants  a  nev^  pair  of  kid  gloves, 
which  she  is  bound  to  have,  though  she  has  no  money  to  buy 
them  with.  She  devises  a  novel  v^ay  of  getting  them.  She  waits 
till  her  escort  arrives,  dresses  herself,  and  is  ready  to  go,  with  the 
exception  of  putting  on  her  gloves;  but,  much  to  her  annoyance 


306  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

when  they  are  ready  to  start,  she  cannot  find  them.  She  searches 
the  room  all  over,  but  they  are  not  to  be  found.  Dear  mamma 
looks  too,  but  in  vain.  What  is  to  be  done?  She  settles  the 
matter  by  emphatically  declaring  she  will  not  go  without  gloves. 
The  gentleman,  seeing  the  situation  of  things,  is  almost  com- 
pelled to  go  and  buy  a  pair  of  gloves,  Thus  she  receives  them, 
without  having  to  -pay  or  even  ask  for  them  in  a  direct  mrnner. 
Or  perhaps  she  wants  a  nice  handkerchief.  In  that  case  she 
manages  to  leave  home  without  one,  but  takes  good  care  to  dis- 
cover the  absence  of  it  and  make  it  known  before  arriving  at  the 
place  of  entertainment.  No  gentleman  would  like  to  feel  so  small 
as  to  return  to  her  home,  if  there  was  a  dr3^  goods  store  any- 
where near,  and  she  generally  attends  to  that  part  of  the  busi- 
ness. So  he  buys  her  a  handkerchief,  and,  to  appear  gallant,  he 
must  needs  purchase  a  silk  handkerchief. 

But  a  more  common  way  of  extorting  presents  by  young 
ladies  having  more  cheek  than  modest)^  is,  to  deliberate!}^  ask  for 
them  about  Christmas  and  New  Year.  I  met  one  of  those  charm- 
ing young  creatures  at  a  boarding  house  in  New  York,  one  season. 
I  had  stopped  at  the  house  at  short  intervals  once  or  twice  before, 
and  on  this  occasion  happened  to  get  there  just  before  Christ- 
mas. I  had  scarceh^  got  inside  the  house  before  this  j^oung  lady 
w^ho  had  been  to  a  female  boarding-school  on  the  Hudson,  rushed 
into  the  parlor,  exclaiming,  "You  are  just  in  time  to  give  me  a 
Christmas  present!"  Then  seating  herself  beside  me  on  the  sofa 
(because  girls  and  women  are  very  sweet  and  sociable  when  they 
want  anything) ,  she  said:  "Do  j^ou  know  what  j^ou  can  bu}^  for 
me?"  I  responded  I  did  not.  "Well,"  said  she,  "ten  j-ards  of 
black  velvet  will  do."  I  replied  in  a  half  joking  way  that  that 
would  make  a  poor  man  of  me.  "O,"  said  she,  "I  would  not 
give  a  cent  for  a  fellow  w^ho  could  not  stand  that." 

Thus  there  are  a  thousand  ways  by  w^hich  people  gain  favors 
and  presents,  by  winning  the  confidence  or  taking  advantage  of 
their  friends.  And  these  little  tricks  are  practiced  more  or  less 
among  all  classes  of  society.  One  person  will  do  another  a  favor, 
not  out  of  a  pure,  unselfish  spirit,  but  because  he  expects  the 
party  favored  to  return  the  compliment  on  a  larger  scale.  That 
class  of  persons  who  are  alwa3^s  fishing  for  presents  are  not  slow- 
to  let  one  friend  know  what  another  one  has  given,  and  they  in- 


I 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  307 

variably  do  it  in  such  a  genteel  way  as  to  make  it  a  polite  hint 
for  the  hearer  to  do  the  same  thing. 

BLACK-MAILING. 

There  are  two  forms  or  causes  of  black-mailing,  one  spring- 
ing from  an  inordinate  desire  for  mone3%  and  the  other  from  a 
mean  disposition  and  a  spirit  of  retaliation. 

Desire  for  money  is  generally  the  cause,  but  occasionally  a 
person  who  has  been  foiled  in  his  designs  will  seek  to  get  even  by 
exercising  spite  and  revenge,  in  some  way  damaging  to  the  repu- 
tation of  the  individual  disliked,  and  likewise  make  a  demand  for 
money.  The  case  of  Joseph  and  his  mistress,  mentioned  in  the 
Bible,  fairly  illustrates  the  latter  class,  with  the  exception  of  the 
money  part.  Some  writer  has  said,  *'Hell  hath  no  fury  like  a 
woman  scorned."  Certain  it  is  that  he  who  bluntly  or  scorn- 
fully rejects  a  woman's  love,  will  change  that  love  into  the  bit- 
terest hate,  that  knows  no  bounds  or  limits;  and  he  who  sternly 
resists  a  woman's  amative  impulse  may  expect  his  fair  name  to 
be  shadowed  with  the  black  clouds  of  scandal.  Poor  Joseph  got 
into  trouble  and  jail  by  resisting  the  amative  impulse  of  his 
master's  wife,  and  John  the  Baptist  lost  his  head  through  stir- 
ring up  the  animosity  of  Herod's  paramour.  And  the  reason  of 
such  intense  feeling  in  rebuking  a  woman  is  because  her  vanity  or 
the  faculty  that  produces  it  is  wounded,  which  is  always  the 
strongest  element  in  female  character.  Perhaps  the  best  way  I 
can  explain  black-mailing  will  be  to  cite  instances  which  illus- 
trate the  mode  of  operations.  While  there  are  plenty  of  men 
ready  to  play  such  games,  it  is  likewise  extensively  practiced  by 
women.  And  in  proportion  to  the  advantages  and  opportunities 
that  come  within  the  knowledge  and  power  of  both  sexes,  there 
are  probably  more  w^omen  who  resort  to  this  practice  than  men. 

Some  time  ago  two  wealthy  persons,  living  in  one  of  the 
largest  cities  in  the  United  States  (the  one  a  gentleman,  the 
other  a  lady)  were  on  the  most  intimate  terms,  but  of  an  im- 
moral nature  A  third  party,  a  gentleman,  was  aware  of  this 
fact,  being  well  acquainted  ^th  both.  He  had  a  fine  residence, 
but  not  much  money.  His  wife  went  away  on  a  visit,  and  he 
immediately  resolved  on  a  plan  of  making  money.  Meeting  the 
other  gentleman  one  day,  he  told  him  that  if  he  wanted  to  meet 
his  lady  friend  at  his  house,  he  might  do  so,  his  wife  being  away. 
His  offer  was  accepted,  and  a  tixm  appointed  when  h#  would  be 


308  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

there.  Meanwhile  the  owner  of  the  house  had  the  hinges  on  the 
outside  bedroom  doors  oiled  so  that  they  could  be  opened  with- 
out the  slightest  noise.  He  also  made  arrangements  with  two 
persons  to  act  as  policeman  and  detective,  and  to  put  in  their  ap- 
pearance about  the  proper  time.  He  left  the  outside  door  un- 
locked, and  vacated  the  house  himself  after  the  arrival  of  the 
two  unsuspecting  parties.  They  proceeded  to  the  bedroom,  and 
closed  the  door,  but  did  not  lock  it,  making  the  work  of  their 
adversaries  comparatively  easy.  The  detective  and  sham  police- 
man waited  till  thej^  thought  sufficient  time  had  elapsed,  and 
then  quietly  opened  the  door  of  the  bedroom — finding  them  in 
an  embarassing  predicament.  Then  came  the  tug  of  war. 
Twenty-four  hundred  dollars  was  the  price  demanded,  to  save  all 
trouble  and  scandal — four  hundred  dollars  down,  eight  hundred 
in  a  few  days,  and  twelve  hundred  at  some  further  date.  They 
got  the  four  hundred  on  the  spot,  by  both  man  and  woman 
handing  over  all  they  had,  both  of  money  and  jewelry.  During 
the  intervening  days  before  the  eight  hundred  was  to  be  paid, 
they  sought  the  aid  of  a  good  lawyer,  ^who  perceived  it  to  be  a 
case  of  black -mail,  and  so  saved  his  clients  from  being  duped  any 
farther.  Although  this  case  is  narrated  to  show  the  base  and 
underhand  trickery  of  black-mailing,  it  likewise  shows  that  com- 
mitting adultery  may  be  attended  with  more  trouble  than 
pleasure,  and  prove  to  be  a  rather  costly  affair,  especially  where 
the  parties  place  themslves  at  the  mercy  of  other  people. 

A  similar  trick  was  played  by  a  doctor  on  a  young  man 
clerking  in  a  prominent  jewelry  store.  The  ph3^sician  had  a  lady 
assistant  in  his  office,  the  wife  of  another  man,  between  whom 
the  moral  relationship  was  not  such  as  it  ought  to  have  been.  In 
his  practice  of  medicine  the  doctor  had  become  acquainted  with 
the  family  of  this  man  in  the  jewelry  store.  The  clerk  also  had  a 
lady  friend  whom  he  sustained  immoral  relations  with,  Avhich 
the  doctor  was  aware  of;  as  he  wanted  money,  the  woman  and 
he  decided  on  a  plan  to  raise  it.  They  gave  the  clerk  a  pass-key 
so  that  he  could  take  his  young  lady  to  their  room  or  office  when 
convenient.  Once  in  their  power  they  fastened  the  cords  of  evil 
influence  around  him  thick  and  fast,  and  pretty  soon  came  the 
demand  for  money — he  had  none  to  give.  ''Well,"  said  they, 
*'you  can  get  some  jewelry  out  of  the  store,  then,  we  must  have 
money."    What  was  he  to  do?    He  did  not  want  to  steal,  but 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  309 

the  combined  power  of  his  passion  for  women  and  the  strong 
pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  him  by  the  two  black-mailers, 
was  too  strong  for  his  poor  conscience,  which  finally  gave  Avay, 
and  he  began  a  system  of  thieving  from  his  employers.  Gold 
watches,  chains,  rings  and  other  valuables  \vere  taken  and  given 
to  the  doctor  and  his  associate,  who  either  disposed  of  them  for 
money,  or  made  personal  use  of  them.  Finalh^  the  losses  of  the 
firm  were  discovered,  and  the  young  man  arrested.  He  \vas  con- 
nected with  a  fine  family,  and,  by  the  advice  of  a  personal  friend 
of  his  father's  made  a  full  confession,  which  led  to  the  arrest  of 
the  black-mailers  as  well. 

Business  men  are  frequently  the  victims  of  female  operators, 
who  aim  to  make  money.  They  visit  their  ofiices,  and  endeavor 
to  hold  private  interviews,  presumably  on  business.  This  point 
being  gained,  they  proceed  to  make  their  demands,  threatening 
to  charge  them  with  criminal  offense  with  some  person,  and 
thereafter  to  make  it  public,  unless  they  hand  over  a  certain  sum 
of  mone\\  A  merchant  in  Chicago  was  trapped  in  just  that  way. 
He  was  a  man  having  a  family  and  a  good  name,  and,  being 
sensitive  and  jealous  of  his  reputation,  feared  that,  if  such  a  re- 
port as  the  woman  threatened  ^^as  circulated,  many  would 
believe  it,  even  though  there  was  not  a  word  of  truth  in  it.  So, 
to  stop  the  woman's  talk,  he  thought  it  best  to  give  her  the 
money  she  asked,  it  being  a  moderate  amount.  He  did  so;  she 
was  pacified  for  the  time  being,  but  it  was  not  long  before  she 
returned  for  more  money.  He  remonstrated,  but  without  avail. 
She  had  broken  the  ice  by  extorting  the  first  payment,  and  w^ould 
have  the  second — though  nothing  was  said  by  her,  nor  did  he  ex- 
pect that  she  would  want  anymore  at  the  time  the  first  money 
was  paid.  He  supposed  that  would  end  the  matter,  and  that 
^was  why  he  gave  it  to  her.  But  she  had  a  different  idea  in  re- 
gard to  the  affair;  and  so,  whenever  she  wanted  money,  she 
w^ould  go  for  twenty  dollars,  as  she  felt  disposed.  Thus  for  years 
he^sras  compelled  to  pay  out  money  for  nothing,  or  involve 
himself  and  lamily  in  an  unpleasant  scandal.  Had  he  refused  the 
first  payment,  he  could  have  saved  himself;  but,  having  given  her 
money,  she  had  him  fast,  because,  in  the  case  of  a  trial  or  investi- 
gation, the  question  would  naturally  be  asked:  If  there  is  no 
truth  in  the  charges,  w^hy  did  3^011  pay  her  the  first  mone^^? 

There  is  a   kind  of  black-mailing  connected   with  politics, 


310  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

where  political  leaders  extort  money,  dividends  or  a  percentage 
from  applicants  to  whom  they  choose  to  grant  offices,  positions 
and  contracts.  But  there  are  no  threats  of  v«lander,  or  anything 
said  or  done  to  intentionally  damage  the  character  of  either 
party.  The  political  and  business  world  is  so  full  of  transactions 
of  this  kind — where  men  compromise  each  other,  bu}'  and  sell 
each  other,  and  bestow  favors  in  order  to  receive  gifts,  that  the 
public  is  quite  familiar  with  this  kind  of  corruption.  Though 
such  operations  may,  in  the  nature  of  things,  blacken  the  char- 
acter of  those  who  participate  in  them,  still  this  is  not  their  in- 
tention personally  toward  each  other,  and  therefore  these  things 
do  not  properly  come  under  the  head  of  black-mailing. 

I  will  now  mention  one  instance  to  illustrate  the  kind  of 
black-mailing  that  is  done  through  spite,  retaliation,  or  for  the 
purpose  of  controlling  and  keeping  one  or  more  individuals  under 
the  influence  of  another,  against  his  or  her  will.  Or,  to  put  it  in 
other  words,  A.  v^^ants  certain  favors,  privileges  and  liberties 
which  B.  is  not  willing  to  grant.  A.  gets  angry  over  the  matter, 
and  endeavors  to  comer  or  place  B.  in  such  a  relation  or  position 
that  he  w^ill  be  compe.led  to  yield,  through  fear  of  injury  to  his 
person  or  reputation.  In  a  Western  cit}^  of  the  United  States 
lived  a  young  lady  of  more  than  ordinary  intellectual  capacity 
and  culture.  One  of  her  most  intimate  and  special  friends  was  a 
man  of  rather  hard-looking  physiognomy^,  having  a  family  and  a 
remunerative  position.  They  seemed  to  take  a  peculiar  and  re- 
markable interest  in  each  other,  considering  they  were  not  rela- 
tions and  the  fact  that  there  was  so  wide  a  difference  in  their 
ages.  Now  it  happened  that  a  certain  man  in  the  city  advertised 
for  a  lady  to  assist  in  his  place  of  business  as  clerk,  cashier,  etc. 
This  lady  answered,  and  obtained  the  situation,  giving  first-class 
recommendations.  But  she  soon  proved  herself  to  be  worthless 
as  far  as  business  was  concerned.  Her  wa^^s  were  dark  and 
mysterious.  She  was  harder  to  understand  than  a  Chinese 
puzzle,  and  more  difficult  to  solve  than  a  mathematical  problem. 
It  was  soon  discovered  that  she  had  another  dear  gentleman 
friend,  a  jovir\g  man.  She  would  rise  at  five  o'clock  on  a  summer 
morning,  and  go  out  walking  w4th  him.  He  would  generally 
escort  her  to  her  place  of  business.  The  other  one  would  occa- 
sionally take  her  home,  or  perhaps  meet  her  at  the  noon  hour  in 
some  restaurant.    Thus  rratters  went  on  until  her  employer  be- 


CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS.  311 

came  disgusted  with  her  conduct  and  manner  of  attending  to 
business,  and  was  about  to  discharge  her;  but  her  tears  and  en- 
treaties excited  his  sympathy,  and  he  resolved  to  give  her  another 
trial.  But  there  was  no  improvement,  and  she  had  evidently  de- 
termined to  get  even  with  her  emplo3^er  by  humiliating  him,  if 
she  possibly  could.  With  the  assistance  of  two  other  parties, 
and  by  endeavoring  to  misconstrue  a  statement,  she  managed  to 
make  a  little  disturbance,  for  which  she  was  peremptorily  dis- 
charged. Her  old  friend  was  much  displeased;  it  was  such  a  con- 
venient place  for  her  and  all  parties  concerned.  It  was  a. respect- 
able place,  and  he  must  be  made  to  take  her  back.  A  plan  is 
devised.  He  goes  to  the  office  of  her  employer,  jerks  off  his  top 
coat,  and  struts  around  like  a  prize-hghter.  But  the  employer 
had  large  firmness  and  good  combativeness,  and  was  not  so 
easily  frightened.  Then  the  wrathy  man  threatened  to  publish  a 
scandalous  lie  about  him  in  the  daily  papers,  if  he  did  not  rein- 
state his  beloved  in  her  position.  But  the  employer  was  firm  as 
a  rock,  informed  him  he  could  not  play  any  game  on  him,  and 
further  told  him,  in  a  positive,  decided  tone,  to  leave,  and  not 
show  his  face  there  again.  He  left,  and  concluded,  not  to  do  any 
publishing  either.  Now  if  that  employer  had  taken  her  back  to 
work,  he  would  have  been  compelled  to  keep  her  as  long  as  she  or 
her  friends  washed  her  to  remain,  or  be  the  subject  of  a  scandal, 

Tw^o  3^oung  ladies  in  the  State  of  New  York  filled  their  pock- 
ets and  dressed  elegantly  in  the  following  manner.  They  would 
go  out  a  few- miles  from  some  railway  depot,  situated  in  a  well- 
settled  countrj^  place,  and  stay  long  enough  to  make  them  late 
for  the  next  train,  providing  they  had  to  walk  all  the  wa3^  So, 
viewing  a  house  of  which  they  supposed  the  owner  or  resident 
was  in  good  circumstances,  they  would  call  and  state  their 
anxiety  to  reach  the  depot  in  time  for  the  train,  and  their  inabil- 
ity to  do  so  on  foot.  The  gentleman,  perceiving  them  to  have 
the  appearance  of  well-to-do  and  respectable  ladies,  w^ould  feel 
himself,  under  the  circumstance,  bound  to  be  accommodating, 
and  w^ould  consent  or  offer  to  drive  them  to  the  depot,  which  was 
just  w'hat  they  w^anted,  and  so  they  readily  accepted  the  offer. 
All  would  be  pleasant,  the  ladies  being  as  happy  and  amiable  as 
a  child  wdth  a  box  of  candy,  till  they  would  c  3me  near  one  or 
two  other  residences.  Then  there  would  be  a  change  in  the  pro- 
gramme.   The  quiet,  happy  damsels  wotjl(J  suddenly  transform 


312  CONFIDENCE-MEN  AND  BLACK-MAILERS. 

themselves  into  two  screech-owls,  and  scream  with  all  the  vigor- 
ous power  peculiar  to  their  sex.  This  would  naturall3^  bring  the 
occupants  of  the  house  out,  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  Then 
the  two  fair  maidens  boldly  and  indignantly  charge  the  gentle- 
man with  having  insulted  them  on  the  way.  In  one  instance  the 
gentleman  was  a  man  of  means,  and  well  connected  in  society. 
He  had  been  married  but  a  short  time  to  a  lady  of  good  stand- 
ing, and  so,  for  fear  of  the  injury  such  a  story  might  inflict  upon 
his  good  name,  and  considering  how  scandal  might  mar  the  hap- 
piness and  blight  the  future  prospects  of  his  matrimonial  life,  he 
gave  them  quite  a  sum  of  money  to  keep  their  tongues  quiet. 

I  noticed  in  an  edition  of  the  Chicago  Tribune^  April,  1876, 
a  statement  concerning  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  a  certain 
quarterly  review,  charging  him  with  making  a  groundless  attack 
upon  a  certain  university  in  this  country,  representing  the  insti- 
tution and  its  professors  as  inefficient,  just  because  they  would 
not  give  him  from  three  to  five  hundred  dollars  worth  of  adver- 
tising. In  this  way  it  frequently  happens  that  institutions  and 
individuals  are  influenced  into  advertising,  paying  sums  of  money 
for  things  they  do  not  actually  want,  or  else  be  grossl3^  misrepre- 
sented in  some  manner  through  the  press.  This  is  really  but 
another  form  of  black-mailing.  As  to  whether  the  charges  stated 
in  the  paper  relating  to  the  editor  are  correct  or  not,  I  cannot 
sa3^,as  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  matter,  nor  have  I  seen 
either  the  editor,  the  article  he  wrote,  nor  the  university  referred 
to;  but  it  serves  as  an  illustration  of  similar  occurrences. 

Sometimes  men  black-mail  women,  by  finding  out  something 
detrimental  to  their  character,  and  then  going  to  them,  threaten- 
ing to  expose  what  they  know,  unless  they  give  so  much  money, 
or  allow  them  to  take  personal  liberties  of  an  immoral  character 
— ^thatis,  they  are  to  accord  to  them  the  same  sexual  freedom 
they  have  to  some  other  person,  or  their  deeds  will  be  made 
public. 

There  is,  perhaps,  but  one  way  for  a  person  to  resist  black- 
mail, and  free  himself  or  herself  from  its  effects  and  consequences, 
and  that  is  to  take  a  firm,  positive  and  decided  stand  at  the  very 
beginning,  repelling  the  first  pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  them, 
and  refusing  to  even  compromise  or  yield  a  point  that  may,  in 
the  future,  be  used  against  them- 


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